Of Titans and Pokemon
by Khaleos
Summary: The desperate battle against Palkia and Dialga went horribly wrong, and they woke up in another world. A reality where Pokémon do not exist, and humanity is tormented by giant humanoids known as Titans. Can a Champion and his monsters allies help them, and find a way back home?
1. Chapter 1

_Pokémon. Creatures of unbelievable power and might, found in countless types and forms. They could be mankind's best friend or worst nightmare. In a world ruled by them, it was in our best interest to bond with these creatures, to understand and tame them for our own survival. After all, how could you hope to stop an angry monster that could burn down buildings with a simple Flamethrower, or destroy your town's entire infrastructure with an Earthquake attack? Luckily, most Pokemon are friendly towards humans. Or at the very least, they tolerate our existence. Had they truly wanted too, they could have wiped out mankind from the face of the earth long ago.  
_

 _In short, they were the perfect weapons for war. Able to be bred, tamed, and trained for battle. Mankind's desire to seek power and control over the world allowed them to see the incredible potential all Pokemon have. It was that fatal flaw in our human nature that lead to so much suffering in my world. I cannot tell you how many wars or conflicts were cause by those abusing Pokemon for self gain, only that I wished none of those events had happened. Yet I suppose I would not be the man I am today without those trials, so perhaps it was all a bittersweet blessing in disguise.  
_

 _Yet despite that, their are plenty of good Pokemon and humans in my world. Those who seek to maintain order and balance, and not let to world shatter into pieces. I know that better then most, as my team in I dominate that category. As the current champion of the Hoenn Region and member of the G-Men, safeguarding the world was in my job description, and my Pokemon team were happy to help and support me. I am so damn lucky to have them as my friends, and to have to privilege of being their trainer. I only wish that more of them had survived and could be here with me now. But I realized long ago that's the nature of the world, a beautiful sadness that sings throughout our lives, until our story one day comes to a close._

 _But I'm straying from the point of this journal, to tell you Eldians the truth about my world, my first home before the walls. I hope that this will inspire you in some way, and share whatever wisdom and experiences I've accumulated in my life before here.  
_

 _It all started at the Spear Pillar upon Mount Coronet, located in the heart of the Sinnoh Region. It was there that I was forced to leave my home at 20 years old, cast into another world that I did not understand. A criminal organization named Team Galactic had dark plans for my world, to change it forever with the help of two God Pokemon: Palkia and Dialga. Both were ancient legendary Pokemon from Sinnoh lore, with unbelievable power held in their corporal forms. They had the respective abilities to bend space and time itself, to alter and destroy reality if they so chose. Under their damnable leader Cyrus, Team Galactic found a means to take control of the ancient monsters, forcing them to bend to their will. In a desperate race against time, my allies and I confronted them high upon that mountain. To protect our world and all we held dear, we faced a madman with two Gods under his control._

 _As you can probably guess, that is where my story in your world began._

* * *

 _"Wake up, Daniel,"_ the voice of a fairy brushed his mind. His reply was a grunt, head aching with pain and fatigue. Fog clouded his mind, making it difficult to return back to the world. He just wanted to sleep, to rest until the agony passed away.

However his caretaker would not allow that to happen. He soon was able to open his eyes, the form of a familiar blue and white fairy seen above him. A dear friend he had raised since birth, who had saved his life countless times. Her white hand was outstretched with healing energy, careful tending to her master. It was Gardevoir, the embrace Pokemon, and the most loyal friend he could ever ask for.

"Gardevoir? What happened?" He groaned, the coppery taste of blood irritating his mouth.

 _"Relax. You hit your head when we fell. Let me heal you,"_ The fairy soothingly replied. She did not open her mouth to speak, rather she projected her voice into his mind. Her incredible psychic power gave her many abilities, and her fairy typing only gave her much more potential. And it seemed that once again, Daniel was in her debt.

The pain quickly faded away under her care, wounds nourished and closed by her power. The pounding headache he held vanished, though his long black hair remained wet with blood. He was able to move his bruised limbs, pushing himself upright as he sat up. Looking around, he saw that they were in a field of wildflowers. It was beautiful scenery, but he did not recognize the area at all.

"Wait! Latias! Where is she?" Daniel urgently asked, eyes looking around in panic. His soon found his beloved dragon, heart sinking at the poor state she was in. The Eon Dragon was covered in wounds, curled up and unconscious. It was a testament to the battle she endured earlier, and he felt guilt that she had been harmed like this. It had been under his orders, after all. In that brutal battle against Palkia and Dialga, under the control of that damn Cyrus.

 _"She's okay, just exhausted. I'll heal her too,"_ Gardevoir assured, floating over to heal to red and white dragon. _"You know how tough she is, remember?"_

"Yeah," Daniel answered with a smile, remembering all the battles they had experienced. When he first met Latias a year or so ago, she was timid and shy, unsure of herself and unwilling to fight. But under his training and care, she had blossomed into a devastating fighter. Latias kept her kind nature, but in battle she was a ruthless force who obliterated those in her path.

Thanks to the healing she had received, Latias began to stir again. Her amber eyes opened again, recognizing her fairy and human companion.

 _"Danny? Gardevoir? What hit me?"_ The dragon groaned through her telepathy. She shakily hovered herself off the ground, wincing at the bruises upon her body.

"Palkia and Dialga, remember? They blasted you to hell and back," Daniel grimaced, remembering that brutal battle.

 _"I'm sorry,"_ Latias sadly whispered, lowering her head in shame. _"I tried to stop them, I really did! But they were too powerful."_

"It's not your fault, Latias. I know you gave it you're all," Daniel assured, walking forward and hugging the dragon with affection. As he embraced his beloved friend, he remembered that moment where everything had gone to hell.

Team Galactic was to blame for this. They were a terrorist organization that operated in the Sinnoh region, using Pokémon in their crimes and attacks against mankind. They started small, by stealing artifacts and valuables to fund their operation. But they quickly escalated their efforts and were soon kidnapping and murdering, disappearing as quickly as they struck.

It became clear that Team Galactic was an undeniable threat to the stability of the world. Thus, a strike force was swiftly formed in order to stop them and bring justice to the wicked. An elite team, composed of veteran soldiers, law enforcement, and Pokémon Champions. Daniel Thatch belonged to the latter of the assembled group, with Steven Stone, Cynthia Shirona, and Ash Ketchum. They were close friends and comrades from over the years, and one hell of a team when united.

They were able to track down Team Galactic at the Spear Pillar, upon Mount Coronet. They launched a counter attack to take down the evil organization once and for all. They blasted aside the enemy Pokémon and detained or killed the fanatic members in a race against time. The Champions soon found themselves upon the mountain summit, where the leader of Team Galactic, Cyrus, waited for them. But they were far too late. It was then that Palkia and Dialga appeared from nothingness, crossing from one dimension to another. Pokémon of such raw power, they were considered Gods in ancient legends. But now they were bound in strange red chains, under control of a madman. Daniel remembered the cold smile upon Cyrus's face at that moment. With the two massive dragon Gods of Time and Space at his side, Cyrus's dark desire was now a possible reality.

 _"You fools will not stand in my way! I will destroy this flawed world, and remake it with perfection! Try and stop me!"_

In desperation, the four Champions sent out their trusted Pokémon to attack Palkia and Dialga. They could only hope to delay the Legendary monsters, not knowing how to free them from Cyrus's control. But their efforts were in vain. Palkia and Dialga tanked every hit and blasted back with countless times the power. Many of their Pokémon were severely injured, if not killed, in the conflict.

Despite being their enemy in that fight, Daniel could see the hesitation in Palkia and Dialga's attacks. There was pain in the dragon's eyes at being forced to fight against their will, and the agony when they slaughtered or maimed another Pokémon. They hated being controlled by that monster Cyrus, but they could not fully resist the red chains that enslaved them. There was no doubt in his mind that if Palkia and Dialga truly wanted them dead, none of them would have survived. They only witnessed a small taste of the God Pokémon's power.

Daniel's memory of that battle was blurred, but he remembered passing out as he was gravely injured by a stray attack. Looking down at his torn combat vest, he could see a nasty wound on his chest that had been healed shut, thanks to Gardevoir. He mentally voiced his gratitude toward the fairy, who gave him a soft smile in return.

"Gardevoir... what happened after I passed out? How did we end up in this field?" Daniel asked, his amber eyes meeting her blood red. The fairy gave him a sad look in reply, and he felt his heart clench in fear at her answer.

 _"We lost,"_ the fairy said in a bitter tone, her pain all too viable. _"I was one of the only Pokémon to survive, the others were dead or close to it."_ She closed her eyes at the memory, her grief shining through their bond.

"What about Steven, Cythina, and Ash? Are they all right?" Daniel asked, fear for their fate suffocating him.

 _"I don't know,"_ Gardevoir admitted. shaking her head. _"_ _Latias fainted soon after you did. I moved you both back from the battle and tried to save you, but Palkia saw and fired upon us."_ The fairy looked utterly crushed at what she was about to say. Her red eyes looked away, filled with guilt. _"That attack wasn't meant to kill us, rather it opened up a tear in reality. I tried to teleport us all to safety... but I failed. We fell through that portal, and landed here."_ Gardevoir finished, shame at her failure clear to see. Daniel felt his heart shatter at those words, realizing what she meant. They were in another dimension entirely, with no door to cross back over.

"Gardevoir..." Daniel whispered in sadness. Despite the pain he felt at this impossible situation, he walked over and embraced his fairy friend. "You stood against two Gods for my sake, and risked your life to save ours. I couldn't ask for anything more, it's thanks to you that Latias and I are still alive." Gardevoir looked at him in confusion, not understanding how Daniel could forgive her so easily.

 _"Yeah! You saved us, Gardevoir!"_ Latias said happily, floating over to give the fairy a big smile. _"You're an amazing friend, don't blame yourself!"_

 _"You two... thank you,"_ Gardevoir smiled as she embraced her friends, tears falling from her eyes. Daniel relaxed in the warmth of his two loyal friends, glad he was lucky to have such amazing Pokémon at his side.

In truth, Daniel was terrified to be here in an unfamiliar world. To be so impossible far from his home and loved ones, with no clear way back. But with friends nearby, he would never be alone. And that feeling gave him the strength to carry on.

Steven, Cynthina, and Ash... he could only hope that they were still alive. Not knowing their fate was agonizing, but fear and doubt would not help them now. Daniel would go forward in this new land, and look for a way home, no matter how impossible it was.

But if Daniel ever saw that bastard Cyrus again, he would break his neck and strangle him to death. Slowly.

"It's been a long day, and the sun is setting," Daniel sighed, looking at the beautiful sky. At least some things were the same, even in this new world. He pulled out two Poké balls from his side bag. "You two should get some rest, I'll find us all some shelter and food for the night."

 _"Unacceptable,"_ Gardevoir argued, giving him a stern look. _"You have no idea what dangers exist in this world, we need to stay out so we can protect you."_ Daniel groaned at her overprotective nature.

 _"Gardevoir is right. Besides, I'm okay, really! Just a few scratches!"_ Latias insisted with a smile. But it was obvious to anyone she was in pain, far to stubborn to admit it.

"Latias," Daniel sighed and shook his head. "You were beaten up by two goddamn legendary Pokemon. You. Are. Not. Fine," Daniel sternly emphasized. Latias only huffed in annoyance at his concern.

 _"Then watch, and be amazed, mortal!"_ The Eon Dragon proclaimed, her body glowing as she used Recover. A few moments later her wounds and dried blood vanished, leaving clear unblemished skin behind. And that was only a taste of Latias's power, the power of a legendary Pokémon.

"Ah... right. I forgot you could do that," Daniel laughed. The eon dragon gave a smug smile in reply, flying around her companions lazily.

 _"Fear my power, you fools! Bow before me, or perish!"_ Latias demanded dramatically, eyes glowing red for added effect. Daniel couldn't help but laugh, recognizing her attempt to lighten the mood.

 _"I'm very impressed!"_ Gardevoir clapped excitedly, sarcasm evident. Latias pouted at that reply.

 _"Aw, you're not fun, Gardevoir. You need to lighten up."_ Latias commented. She then floated closer to Daniel, nuzzling the man for affection, who happily returned it.

"You're right, I'm going to need both of you to help me. Are you well enough to fly, Latias?"

 _"I'm sore, but I can carry you just fine, dear Danny,"_ the feathered dragon teased. _"We'll fly until we find a good place to rest."_

"Awesome. But we're going to need to find food and water. I left my bags at Mount Coronet." Daniel pointed out.

 _"Oh? And what about those bags lying over there?"_ Gardevoir proudly smiled as she pointed at them. Daniel was wide eyed as he saw his possessions lying nearby, realizing what his fairy friend was implying. She had managed to teleport them along as they fell through that void in reality!

"You're a lifesaver, Gardevoir!" Daniel praised, which the fairy giggled at. Not only did those bags contain his spare Pokémon, but also valuable supplies, tools, and resources! This would make their journey into the unknown significantly easier.

 _"Hey wait, do you two hear that?"_ Latias spoke up, her playful nature gone.

"Hear what?" Daniel and Gardevoir asked in confusion.

 _"Something is moving in the forest over there. We're not alone."_ Latias said grimly. _"Whatever it is, it's massive!"_ Looking to the area Latias stared at intently, Daniel saw tree limbs snap aside as a monster from a nightmare appeared.

"What the hell is that?" Daniel shouted, eyes wide at the giant humanoid coming out of the forest. It was massive, many times taller that then human. Steam hissed from it's body, which was deformed and ugly. But the scariest thing about it was it's horrid face, twisted into a demented and unnatural smile that gave him chills. It looked at him with a sickening grin, breaking into a sprint as it ran towards him with hands ready to kill.

Without hesitation, the two Pokemon moved to protect their master. Whatever kindness they held immediately vanished, cold rage taking it's place. This strange creature was threatening their master and friend. For that, the punishment was death.

The monster cried out in agony as steaming blood flowed from head, it's mind tormented by Gardevoir's psychokinetic power, her red eyes glowing in anger. Latias quickly followed up with her dragon breath attack, white hot flames incinerating the humanoids face into ash. That should have been the end of the monster, so they were surprised when it ignored it's injuries and blindly lashed out with a giant hand. It's target was Daniel, who saw the attack coming and jumped sideways to avoid it.

 _"It's healing itself!"_ Latias announced, dodging the monsters next attack with ease. Gardevoir retaliated with her Moonblast attack, yet the monster shrugged it off and slammed it's fist down upon her. Luckily, the fairy teleported out of the way in time.

"Don't panic! Hit until it dies!" Daniel called out, trying to calm his own fear down. Searching their surroundings, he swore as several more of the hellish creatures came out of the forest. They were of varying sizes, but all stared at him with a hunger for flesh. If they were going up against so many, they needed more firepower. Luckily, he still had two fresh allies at his disposal.

"Aggron! Charizard! Standby for battle!" Daniel yelled, releasing two Pokeballs from his belt. Red light quickly materialized into two powerful monsters, hardened by countless battles and endless training. One was a huge dinosaur of living rock and steel, brutally strong and tough in every way. The other was an orange draconian beast with searing fire in its veins. Both were among his strongest Pokémon, and both were eager to battle anytime.

"Aggron! Use Earthquake! Charizard! Flamethrower! Kill these damn things!" Daniel cried out. The two powerful Pokémon were more than happy to follow that order.

The giants may have been massive, but their bodies couldn't resist such powerful attacks. Two of them screeched in agony as their bodies were incinerated by Charizard's fury, ashes scattering into the wind. Not one to be outdone, Aggron smashed his clawed hands into the ground with a roar, blasting the earth upwards with the force knocking the giants on their backs. But again, the giants got back up, their wounds healing with hissing steam. Even the ones horrible burned by Charizard kept moving.

 _"Why won't they die?"_ Gardevoir screamed in frustration, blasting the first giant again with yet another moonblast to the face. _"They keep healing!"_

 _"That doesn't matter! I'll rip them apart!"_ Aggron roared his battle cry. Despite his very heavy weight, the iron skin Pokémon moved with impressive speed toward the enemy. With brutal slashes, Aggron severed their feet from their legs, sending the monsters falling over him. Not giving them a chance to recover, the metal dinosaur jumped upon their backs. With a savage howl, Aggron tore the monsters neck out as he stuck it over and over. The monster cried in pain and fell silent, moving no more. Realizing that he had killed it, Aggron jumped upon the next one and repeated the same tactic. Sure enough, it died as well.

 _"The back of their necks! That's their weakness!"_ Aggron yelled out to his comrades, tackling another of the monsters and knocking it down.

 _"Aggron, you're amazing! I could kiss you!"_ Latias yelled out with joy. Now knowing how to kill the monsters, Latias combined her Steel Wing with her devastating speed. She was a red blur as she flew around the battlefield, slicing apart the monsters napes with ease. In only a few short seconds it was over, the remaining monsters falling over dead. The last one was killed by Charizard, who blasted it's neck apart with Dragon Pulse. Strangely the giants bodies began to dissolve into ash upon death, but Daniel couldn't care less about that.

"Thank God," Daniel panted with relief, his body shaking from adrenaline. "I owe you all my life."

 _"Why were you worried, silly? We weren't going to let you die,"_ Latias teased. _"Especially to those horrid things."_

 _"They may have been tall, but their bodies were weak,"_ Aggron grunted. _"All the better, more kills for me."_

 _"Is fighting all you think about, you brute?"_ Gardevoir scowled at the iron skin Pokemon. _"If you actually grew a brain, I would be more impressed."_

 _"Only the strong survive, Gardevoir. And I am far stronger than you. Don't forget that."_ Aggron threatened, letting out a metallic growl.

"Enough! Both of you," Daniel held his hands out to stop their argument. Despite his best efforts, some bad blood still lingered between Gardevoir and Aggron. They were both loyal friends of his, but recently they did not like each other at all currently. They would work together when he needed them to, but otherwise they barely tolerated each other. It was a pain to deal with, but both were far too stubborn to swallow their pride and reconcile.

 _"As much as your petty fighting amuses me, we have more pressing matters,"_ Charizard pointed out, breathing out embers with a snort. _"Where the hell are we? And what the hell were those ugly things?"_

"Palkia sent us all to another world, thanks to that bastard Cyrus. As for what those things are, I guess they are inhabitants of this land," Daniel said grimly. "This complicates things."

 _"Those monsters aren't natural, I know what they are."_ Gardevoir whispered with a sigh, everyone looking at her in confusion.

 _"What do you mean, Gardevoir?"_ Latias asked in confusion.

 _"I looked into the mind of one of them before it died, and I saw some faint memories. These things are called Titans, and they were once humans."_ The fairy whispered grimly. The group looked at her in horror at that reveal, unease gripping them.

"So these Titans are... mutated humans?" Daniel asked in a disturbed voice. That explained while their body structure somewhat, though their forms were hideous and unnaturally large.

 _"Yes. That's the bad news. But that means that there are humans in this world. Perhaps they can help us."_ Gardevoir suggested. _"It's a long shot, but it's better then waiting out here for no reason."  
_

"Then we now have a path to follow," Daniel decided, looking to his friends with resolve. "We'll find the humans who live in the world, and get some damn answers. From there, we'll look for a way home."

 _"Sounds good,"_ rumbled Charizard, the other Pokémon voiced agreement to the plan. Daniel returned Gardevoir, Aggron, and Charizard to their Pokeballs, securing them safely in his side pouch. He then walked up to Latias, a determined smile which the Eon dragon returned.

"Come on, Latias. It's time to fly."

* * *

This was an idea that wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided to try it out to see how it goes. Now stroke my ego by giving me reviews, loyal readers!


	2. Chapter 2

Daniel loved flying, especially upon Latias. Holding onto the Eon Dragon while she lazily soared through the sky was one of his greatest joys. Feeling the cold wind's caress as the world below passed them by, with the warm sunset painting the clouds. All his cares and worries vanishes when they soared the boundless heavens.

However that beautiful image was tainted by the Titans far down below. The giant humanoids infested the land with countless numbers, a stain upon the earth. They were unnatural monsters, hell spawn that should never have existed. But knowing that they were once human, Daniel couldn't help but pity them. The only cure for their tragic fate was death.

As they flew above, Daniel witnessed the proof that humans once inhabited this land. There were desolate villages and houses, crop fields long left unattended, and countless forsaken belongings upon the earth. No doubt the Titans had attacked this area, destroying the lives that once called this place home. But if there were any survivors, where would they be now?

"Latias, what have you found so far?" Daniel called out. He trusted in the Eon Dragon's senses, which were far greater than his own.

 _"This place has been abandoned for years, not a soul in sight."_ Latias grimly answered. _"I haven't seen any Pokémon either, so I guess we never existed in this false world."_

"All the more reason to find a way back home." Daniel sighed in exhaustion. "I just hope everyone else is still alive."

 _"Danny... I don't think it's possible for us to go back,"_ Latias admitted, despair creeping into her voice. _"Unless you know a God who has control over dimensions, we're stuck here... forever."_

"Hey, don't say such silly things," Daniel rubbed her feathered neck soothingly. "Hope is half the battle. No matter what it takes, we'll find a way back. I promise."

 _"But even if it's possible, it could take an eternity to find. I'm immortal, and you're not,"_ Latias pointed out, hanging her head in sadness. _"One day you'll die, and I'll be alone again."_

"I have plenty of life left yet," Daniel assured, a sly grin forming. "Besides, I've noticed that you and Latios have been getting _very_ close lately. I bet anything you two have been mating." He teased.

 _"T-that's none of your business!"_ Latias huffed, a blush betraying her emotions. _"Do you want me to drop you?"_

"Nah, you like me to much to do that," Daniel grinned, scratching a certain area of her neck that Latias sigh in content. "Latios will watch over you long after I'm gone. You two can soar the heavens together, with hatchlings at your side. A family of dragons, ruling the sky until the end of time."

 _"Yeah... that would be nice,"_ Latias said dreamily, a smile on her face. _"Though if we do have babies, I'm making you their slave."_

"Hey, come on! That's not fair!" Daniel laughed. "What if I don't want to play babysitter?"

 _"Oh yes you do! It's been decided!"_ Latias insisted. _"I'm the boss, so do what I say, mortal!"_

"Hah, we'll see about that!" Daniel laughed. As he watched this world from above, he reflected on how lucky he was to have Latias on his team. Many Pokémon trainers could only dream of having a legendary at their side, much less one as powerful at Latias, the Eon Dragon. His talks with Latias were always a pleasure, thanks to her playful nature and keen intellect. She knew how to make him laugh, or raise his spirits when he felt the weight of the world. She was a true friend to him, despite the short amount of time they'd known each other.

 _"Danny! Look ahead of us!"_ Latias cried out, interrupting his reflections. _"It's a wall! A big one!"_ Looking up, Daniel's amber eyes widened at the massive construct that dominated the landscape. A mighty barrier that towered over the trees, far taller than any of those Titans he had seen. It stretched out for an impossible distance, disappearing into the distant horizon.

"Damn, that's impressive," Daniel whispered, a relived grin appearing on his face. A structure like this could only mean one thing: civilization.

 _"There are humans in there, I can sense them!"_ Latias cheerfully said, confirming his suspicions.

"Well then, let's go say hello!" Daniel grinned. Latias cried in agreement, soaring over the wall, and down toward their next step in this unknown world.

* * *

The last shards of sunlight faded from the sky as Latias landed them near a forest beyond the massive wall. A tired Daniel got off, throwing his supplies down and stretching his sore body. He would have loved to collapse on the ground here and sleep. But he was rather hungry, and had companions to tend to. So Daniel began to release his Pokémon from their capsules, beams of red light illuminating the darkness as they appeared.

The familiar forms of Gardevoir, Aggron, and Charizard materialized first. They inspected the surrounding area for danger, relaxing immediately when none was found. Each of them was a battle hardened Pokémon, very well trained with countless victories to their names. They had proven their value time and time again, and Daniel trusted them unconditionally.

 _"I take it we've found safety?"_ Gardevoir asked, staring up at the massive wall in wonder.

"For now, yes." Daniel casually answered. "There are humans in this area, surrounded by this wall."

 _"For protection against those Titans,"_ Aggron summarized. _"Not that I blame them, you humans are rather fragile."_

"Well, we're not made of metal armor," Daniel dryly commented. Aggron actually barked a laugh at that statement.

 _"Interesting. I take it we're going to rest here?"_ Charizard rumbled.

"Why yes. Us and all of the team," Daniel smiled fondly, grabbing several Pokéballs from his bag. Being a Champion had it's benefits, like being allowed to carry more then six Pokémon on hand. And thus, they had backup in this strange world. Daniel released the Pokéballs, red light shining bright as the monsters materialized.

The first to appear was his starter Pokémon, Sceptile, a large bipedal reptile with yellow eyes. It's body was primarily green, with razor sharp leaves on it's forearms and a long leaf covered tail. Along it's back were two rows of yellow nodules, bursting with nutrients that could revive any plant life. Sceptile thrived in forest environments, able climb trees or jump incredibly high with ease.

The next was his Froslass, the Snow Land Pokémon. She was a white humanoid ghost, every breath chilling the air with bitter cold. Her face was covered in purple markings, with blue decorating her hollow body, which was tied with what appeared to be a large red ribbon. Two large ice crystals pointed from her head, glowing blue eyes completing her appearance. She giggled at Daniel, floating around the air without a care.

Then an Alolan Vulpix came out, a small white fox with many bushy tails. Her blue eyes were wide and innocent, a large tuft of fur on her head. The ice vixen yipped in excitement, running over to Daniel and jumping at him for attention.

"Whoa! Easy girl!" Daniel laughed, petting her with affection. Vulpix purred in content, letting the man rub her belly as she rolled on the ground playfully. Despite being an ice type, her fur was surprisingly warm to the touch. She was only a few months old, and thus his youngest Pokémon.

 _"There is one more,"_ Latias reminded, impatiently waiting for him to be released.

"I know," Daniel said fondly, grabbing the last Pokéball from his side. "Come on out, old friend." In a burst of red light, his final Pokémon was revealed. It was a Latios, an Eon dragon, like Latias was. The first Legendary Pokémon Daniel had met, and without a doubt, a true friend and ally.

Daniel owed so much to this blue psychic dragon. The mental bond he shared with Latios allowed Daniel to understand any Pokémon's speech, one of many benefits to their partnership. It was thanks to Latios that Daniel had won the Hoenn League, many years ago. He only revealed Latios to the world in the final rounds, it's power and speed overwhelming his shocked opponents. It was just the ace he needed to secure victory that day, which had led Daniel down the path to becoming Champion of the Hoenn Region. Latios had helped him achieve his dream that day, and Daniel would be forever grateful because of that.

But the was the Latios of the past. Now the Eon Dragon was a shadow of his former self, slowly healing from horrific injuries. One of Latios's wings was severely maimed, heavily wrapped in a splint. What was left of it at least. One of his red eyes was forever closed, a violent scar running down through it. There were several bandaged wounds on his body, infected and oozing pus, a testament to the brutal battle he had experienced several weeks prior.

But despite his pain, Latios refused to be broken. The dragon held his head up high, unwilling to surrender to despair. Truth be told, Latios was only with them because Daniel trusted no one else to look after him. Thanks to that, Latios was with them on this unwanted journey.

"Latios, how are you feeling?" Daniel asked, taking out some medical supplies from his pack.

 _"Sore... but I'm slowly getting better,"_ Latios winced. _"Poison still lingers in my wounds."_ The blue dragon painfully floated over to Latias, who gave him an affectionate lick and embrace. At an unspoken command, Gardevoir moved over to aid Latios. She and Latias combined Heal Pulse on Latios's wounds, soothing the pain that burdened him. Daniel stepped to help as well, carefully removing the tainted bandages from his draconic friend. He then removed his black gloves, cleaned his hands, and opened a jar of medical salve.

"I take it you know our situation?" Daniel asked, gently applying the substance to Latios's wounds.

 _"Gardevoir explained the situation to me,"_ Latios sighed in relief. _"That we're in a new world entirely... that terrifies me."_ The dragon admitted.

"For now, yes. But we won't be here forever," Daniel promised. "Getting back is only a matter of time."

 _"I hope you're right,"_ Latios sighed. _"I don't want to be trapped here, so far from home."_

 _"Even if it does come to that, at least we'll be together,"_ Latias assured, nuzzling him affectionately, which Latios happily returned.

 _"Very touching, but we have work to do."_ Aggron grunted, stretching his metal joints idly as looked towards Daniel in expectation.

"Quite right, big guy." Daniel agreed, sealing the salve jar and cleaning his hands. Pulling his fingerless gloves back on, Daniel began to hand out orders to his team. "Charizard, we're going to need some meat. Hunt whatever you can find, but avoid being seen if possible."

 _"As you wish,"_ Charizard rumbled. Spreading his powerful wings, the orange draconic beast swiftly took off into the night sky, his flame licked tail fading into the distance. Daniel then took an empty satchel from his pack, which he handed over to Sceptile.

"Sceptile, I know you're tired, but we need whatever edible berries and plants you can find." The grass type silently nodded, disappearing into the forest with remarkable speed. "Frostlass, I want you to keep watch for the night. Let us know if anyone comes nearby." The frost ghost chimed in understanding, floating away as she vanished from mortal eyes. Being part ghost type, Froslass never slept, and thus was perfect for that role.

"What about me?" A small voice piped up from Vulpix. She pawed his combat boots for attention. "Pick me! Pick me next!" Daniel chuckled at her antics, reaching down to pet her again.

"Vulpix sweetie, can you bring me some sticks for firewood? It would be a very big help." Daniel cooed, stroking her soft fur with care. The ice vixen vipped in agreement, delighted at being trusted with such a task. She darted off with purpose, eager to fulfill her important mission.

 _"What about us? What would you have us do?"_ Gardevoir asked, having finished her healing on Latios. Despite her willingness to help, Daniel knew the fairy type was exhausted, too stubborn to admit it. Or perhaps she just wanted to make herself more useful to him.

"Gardevoir, Latias, and Latios, I want you to rest for now." Daniel firmly replied. Gardevoir looked disappointed at that, but did not argue. Closing her red eyes and kneeling down, Gardevoir entered a sleeping trance to recover for a while. Latios and Latias stayed together, silently conversing with each other as they rested.

 _"I take it you need my help?"_ Aggron stated the obvious.

"Yes, Aggron. I need your strength for a moment." Aggron grunted in acknowledgment, following his trainer with earth crushing steps. They worked together to make a large fire pit, with Aggron moving small rocks to surround it. Aggron also broke dead tree limbs with his claws, gathering up larger pieces of firewood to burn. Afterwards, the massive steel type stood guard, vigilantly watching the surrounding area for any threats.

Vulpix was quick to return after that, a comical amount of small sticks shoved between her teeth. She ran up and dropped them in front of Daniel, looking up with her chest puffed out in pride.

"Well done, Vulpix! I knew I could count on you," Daniel praised, the frost type purring in delight as he rubbed her back. He worked with the kindling to prepare a fire, with Vulpix helping where she could.

It wasn't long before Charizard returned as well, carrying two freshly slain deer in his arms. _"Hardly a challenge,"_ the fire type snorted, throwing the two animals gracelessly upon the ground.

"Thank you, oh great flame master," Daniel joked. Taking out his fire steel and knife, he attempted to bring life to the fire pit. He was just about to get it to spark when a stream of flame ignited the sticks, courtesy of Charizard. The annoyed trainer glared at the draconic beast, who smiled smugly in reply.

"Show off," Daniel snorted, but accepted the outcome with no complaints. He moved over to skin one of the deer, while Charizard and Aggron took the other to share. Ignoring the tearing of flesh behind him, Daniel carved out strips of venison. With a roaring fire going, he placed the meat strips upon the rocks to cook. In that time, Sceptile had returned from the forest, a satchel filled with wild berries. He shared the fruit with his fellow Pokémon, particularly those that did not eat meat.

With the venison cooked, Daniel passed it around to his monster allies, saving a portion for himself. Taking a few ration bars and a canteen of water out, he ate calmly as his Pokémon finished their meals. Froslass stopped by briefly for some berries, before she vanished again to the unknown. Aggron took care of the deer corpses happily. Using his metal jaw, Aggron crudely crushed the bones and all into bloody shards, swallowing them whole with ease.

 _"I see your eating habits haven't improved, Aggron."_ Gardevoir spoke up, red eyes focused on Aggron with displeasure. _"I know it's hard for you to understand, but learn some manners, would you? You're savagery make me sick."_

 _"Spoiled brat,"_ Aggron spat, glaring back at the fairy who annoyed him. _"You could be grateful. You owe me your miserable life, remember?"_

 _"I never asked for your help then,"_ Gardevoir coldly replied. _"I would have rather died then be in your debt."_ Aggron growled and moved away from the group, struggling to calm his anger down. Daniel gave an angry glare toward Gardevoir for her behavior, causing the fairy to flinch. Abandoning his food, he walked after Aggron, assuming the role of peacemaker yet again.

 _"That stupid fairy is pissing me off,"_ Aggron growled, flexing his claws in irritation.

"Give her time and she'll see the truth, you know how stubborn she is," Daniel spoke. "You did the right thing that day, Gardevoir is just too prideful to admit that you saved her."

 _"Should I not have bothered then? Is this the thanks I get?"_ Aggron bitterly replied.

"Well, Gardevoir are very protective of their trainers, even to the point of death. There is no greater honor for them then to sacrifice themselves to save their master," Daniel pointed out. "She's upset that you took that away from her."

 _"So she's still a fool. Nothing has changed there."_ Aggron scoffed.

"She is in the wrong here, Aggron. I'm on your side in this matter," Daniel assured, placing a hand upon his massive metal friend. "I know Gardevoir can't keep her mouth shut, but will you promise me that you won't retaliate? You are far stronger then her, and I don't want her to get hurt."

 _"I'll do my best."_ Aggron grunted. _"Though I'm tempted to smack her around."_ Knowing that was the best answer he could hope for, Daniel returned toward the group. He mentally chastised Gardevoir, who had the decency to look ashamed.

On the verge of falling asleep, Daniel shoveled the rest of his meal into his mouth. He didn't bother to change his clothes or wash, preferring to grab his sleeping bag and prepare to rest. Half dead to the world Daniel sat down, looking toward his team to voice his decision.

"I know we're far from home, and the last few days have been hell. Worse, we're stuck in a world we know nothing about. But I promise you all that no matter what happens, or how long it takes, we will find a way back home," Daniel declared. "But now, it's time to sleep." That statement was followed by sounds of agreement, the Pokémon preparing themselves to rest.

Taking off his combat boots and socks, Daniel slipped into his sleeping bag. Vulpix darted in a well, taking time to curl up against his body and nuzzle him affectionately. Daniel could only smile at the ice vixen's love for him, stroking her white fur with care. Her soft breathing lured Daniel to sleep quickly, his last thoughts at what the humans in this strange world would be like.

* * *

Just a short buildup chapter here. I considered making it longer, but decided to save it for next time. Next chapter is where things really start kicking off, as characters from two worlds collide. Now pay me for my efforts readers, with shiny reviews to add to my collection!


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you everyone for your reviews everyone. I was going to make a very long chapter, but decided to split it in half. Get cozy and enjoy!

* * *

 _Wake up, fleshing! We have work to do!_ Aggron growled, shaking Daniel with his clawed hand. The man groaned in annoyance and snugged deeper into his covers. Vuplix was still curled up next to him, their shared warmth making him unwilling to leave. He wasn't sure how long he had slept, but he didn't want to awaken just yet.

 _Let him sleep, you brute. Daniel is still tired from yesterday._ Gardevoir argued in a fierce tone, letting her displeasure be known.

 _Bah, you're too soft, Gardevoir. It's thanks to me that Daniel is tough and strong._ Aggron boasted, turning back to said trainer with his claws. _Now get up, or I will move your ass myself!_

"Alright!" Daniel surrendered, pulling himself and Vulpix out of the sleeping bag. The ice vixen yawned cutely, leaping out of his arms and running around the campsite in childish delight. Looking around, Daniel could see all his other Pokémon were active, finishing a late breakfast and preparing for the day. Daniel grinned fondly as he looked at them, he was lucky to have them all in this unknown world. No doubt he would need their different strengths to survive here.

He turned to see his fairy friend floating up to him, refusing to meet his eyes at first. Gardevoir held out a plate of food to him, much like one would a peace offering.

"Oh Gardevoir, thank you," Daniel accepted the breakfast. He had a feeling what this was about, which was proven correct a moment later.

 _I'm sorry about yesterday, Daniel._ The fairy type stated, her blood red eyes meeting his topaz ones. _I shouldn't have said those harsh words, it was uncalled for. So please, forgive-_

"You should be saying this to Aggron, not me," Daniel interrupted, causing her to wince. With a sigh he closed the distance, gently grabbing one of her teal hands. He loved Gardevoir to death, but her stubbornness could be agonizing to deal with.

"Look Gardevoir, you're a dear friend to me, and I'm grateful to have you. I owe you my life, and you've helped me countless times at your own expense. I truly appreciate that, but your recent behavior towards Aggron is unacceptable. He saved your life that day, and you've repaid him by insulting and tormenting him. If you're truly sorry about what you did, then go and apologize to him right now. I won't accept anything less then that." Daniel finished. He knew that was very unlikely, but he hoped Gardevoir would swallow her pride and reconcile with the iron skin Pokémon.

 _I'll think about it._ She scowled, floating away from Daniel in dejection. He could tell that she was hurt by his words, but they had to be said. They couldn't afford to fight amongst themselves, especially in this unknown world where they only had each other.

He swiftly inhaled the breakfast Gardevoir provided, mentally planning out the rest of today. It was late afternoon if he had to guess, though he couldn't tell with the sun hidden behind the distant clouds that promised rain. Granted he didn't know if this world's time was the same as his. But aside from the lack of Pokémon, this world was basically the same in every other aspect. That was both intriguing and ominous, but he would have to investigate it more later. Tossing aside his empty plate, he got up and walked toward his monster comrades.

 _Hello Danny! My cute little human has awoken!_ Latias flew over to him for attention. _Once I seize control of this wretched world, you can be my second in command!_

"Ah hush, you're making me blush." Daniel grinned, gently stroking her feathered body. Latias cooed in delight at his affection, smothering him with her massive body.

 _Your so shameless, Latias._ A bemused Latios commented, his good eye looking at his mate in amusement. Latias stuck her tongue out playfully in response.

 _Finally your lazy ass is up. What's the plan, boss?_ Aggron grunted, shaking the earth as he moved over. The other Pokémon gathered around Daniel as well, patiently waiting for his instructions. Clearing his throat, the man focused and began to explain his recent thoughts.

"If we're going to find a way home, then we need knowledge about this world. The humans who live in this wall would be a good start." Daniel reasoned.

 _Or they could be pests that get in our way._ Charizard countered. _How do we know they can be trusted?_

"We don't, but we have to take that risk." Daniel grinned. "Nothing will be gained if we play safe."

 _But wouldn't our sudden appearance alarm them? From what we've seen, us Pokémon never existed in this world._ Gardevoir commented.

"That is an excellent point, Gadevoir." Daniel praised, rubbing his faint beard stubble in thought.

 _We should show ourselves anyway. Think of how scared they would get!_ Froslass giggled, mischief clear in her eyes.

 _I agree with Froslass, why should we cower and hide? We should show ourselves right away, consequences be damned._ Aggron boldly proclaimed.

 _That's a terrible idea, Aggron. We need to foster good relations with these humans, not scare them to death._ Latios rebuked.

 _They'll be afraid of us anyways, once they witness our strength. We should just get to the point to save time._ Aggron grunted.

 _I don't like the idea either, Aggron. But Latios has a point, rushing in blindly would end poorly for us. We should let Daniel interact with these humans first, to see what they are like._ Sceptile spoke up.

"I've made my decision," Daniel cut off the debate. "We'll fly on Latias to find the nearest settlement here. Once we do, I'll talk with them to get more information. If things go smoothly, I will reveal you all to them. Understood?"

They agreed to his plan, though Aggron and Froslass looked disappointed. They swiftly packed up the camp, with Daniel taking the chance for a makeshift bath. Using a bucket of water and a cloth, he swiftly scrubbed himself clean. He then changed into a fresh set of clothes and secured his boots and weapons on. When that was done he returned them to their Pokéballs and placed his monster allies in his side bag. He felt a sense of comfort from holding them at his waist. The knowledge that no matter where he went, his comrades would be a only a hand away. And thus, he would never be alone.

 _A new adventure awaits us, let's get going!_ Latias cheered. Daniel could only smile at her optimism, climbing on her feathered back for their flight. He held on tightly as Latias acceded, the Eon Dragon going at a modest pace so he would not be overwhelmed by the wind.

 _I wonder what the people here will be like?_ Daniel mused. He closed his eyes to rest, letting Latias carry him through the heavens.

* * *

 _Danny, wake up! Something is wrong!_ Latias urged. He opened his eyes immediately at the fear in her voice, noticing a rainfall was ongoing. Latias was kind enough to shield him with her psychic powers, preventing him from being soaked to the bone. Looking downward, he could see they were flying over the massive wall below.

"What wrong, Latias?" He asked, feeling a sensation of dread in his stomach. Latias only lost her jest when something was terribly wrong.

 _I've been hearing screams coming from over this way, the screams of people dying. And roars from those Titans._ Latias grimly replied.

"Go faster then!" Daniel yelled, clinging tightly to her neck. Latias tucked her forearms in and increased her speed tenfold. It was only thanks to her psychic powers that Daniel wasn't flung off by the intense wind resistance. This only lasted a few moments as they arrived to the source of the chaos, Latias coming to a halt so Daniel could look down. There was a large outcrop in the wall below, with an entire district town inside of it. However he could clearly see countless Titans inside of it, with the outer gate smashed into rubble. He could see countless bloodstains and dismembered corpses below, and hear faint screams from people as they were devoured alive.

"... You've got to be fucking kidding me," Daniel groaned. "It hasn't even been a day and this bullshit happens!"

 _Danny, we have to help them! We can kill those monsters and save them!_ Latias pleaded.

"You're right," Daniel agreed without hesitation, despite the memory of nearly being eaten yesterday. He didn't relish getting close to those Titans again, but if doing so meant they could save even a handful of people, it would be well worth it. He would never forgive himself if he just left these people to die. He was a soldier, after all. Risking his life for others was what he was meant to do. He couldn't face the Titans alone, but his Pokémon could work together to bring them down. Yes, he had made his decision.

"Let's go, Latias! Time to save their sorry asses!" Daniel called out, the Eon Dragon crying in agreement. As Latias carried them down, he could only hope they were not too late.

* * *

Upon the rooftops of Trost, the surviving cadets from the 104th gathered in grim silence, their moral and hope long gone. The dark and cloudy sky cast a shadow over the destroyed district, with carnage staining every stone pathway in blood. In the distances the Titans could been seen wandering about, with the faint screams of their remaining victims before they were eaten alive. The advance guard and older garrison members had already been wiped out or retreated beyond Wall Rose, leaving them behind to fend for themselves. They had been abandoned, and were on their own to face the endless Titan horde.

The horrors of the last few hours had broken them all in some way, and they were quickly losing their will to live. Most were crying helplessly and praying to a God they didn't know, while others sat down in defeat, accepting their fate with lifeless eyes. Others stood by calmly, waiting to see what would happen next. The last few tried to rally their comrades with little success, in hope of taking control over this nightmare.

"Jean! What should be do?" A frantic Connie asked the older trainee.

"There's nothing we can do, Connie," Jean gave a hollow smile. Normally Jean was loud and arrogant, not caring what he said or what others thought of him. But the gruesome trauma he had witnessed left his normal self nowhere to be found. "We finally received the order to retreat, but we can't get over the wall without gas." The teen clutched his head in despair. "We're all going to die... thanks to those fucking cowards!"

"You mean the support squads? What happened to them? Are they all dead?" Connie demanded.

"They probably lost their will to fight. I understand how they feel. But I doubt they've abandoned their mission and barricaded themselves away in the HQ. I'm guessing the Titans have them surrounded, which is why they can't supply us with gas." Jean analyzed.

"That's exactly why we have no choice but to go all in on the Titans! Sitting here and waiting to die isn't going to make a difference! The Titans are going to surround us to! If we keep running away from them, we'd end up wasting what little gas we have left. And once we lose our mobility, then it really will be over!"

"I never thought I'd hear you make an intelligent comment, Connie. But do you really think we have the manpower to pull that off? Most of the vanguard has been wiped out. We're just trainees, who here can take charge of a suicide mission like that? Not that it matters even if someone does. The supply room is probably crawling with Titans that are three or four meters tall. We won't be able to fight them effectively in there."

"So it's hopeless?" Connie's face fell at the realization.

"Damn it, what a pathetic life I've lived," Jean sighed. "If I knew this was going to happen..."

"Come on everyone! If we work together, were sure to succeed! I'll take the lead." A young woman named Sasha tried to raise their spirits. No one reacted to her words, too deep in their own misery and helplessness. In desperation Sasha ran over to the brains of the 104th, surely he could figure something out. "Armin! Let's go ahead and-" She stopped upon seeing the shock and despair on his face, he didn't even notice her presence. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

On another rooftop nearby, another group of Cadets were conversing.

"Reiner, what do we do now?" Annie asked the tall and buff blond man.

"It's not time yet. Let them group up first." Reiner replied calmly.

"It's no use. No matter how you look at it, there's no way we're making it out of this city." A boy named Marco said with dread. "I mean, I'm prepared to die... but what am I going to die for?"

"Mikasa!

"Weren't you in the rear guard?"

The oriental girl ignored the comments to her sudden appearance, frantically looking for a certain boy. Unable to find him, she ran up to the group to learn more.

"Annie!" Mikasa spoke to her rival in desperation, the blond girl turning to face her. "I think I understand the situation. I apologize for bothering you, but have you seen Eren's Squad?"

"No, and I haven't seen anyone climb the wall either." Annie commented.

"Armin's over there though." Reiner pointed behind him, to which Mikasa ran over to him.

"Armin!" She called out, to which the boy froze in dread.

 _Mikasa? No! I can't bring myself to face her! I don't deserve to be alive! If I knew it would come to this... I would have died with him then!_

"Armin, are you hurt? Feeling okay?" Mikasa asked in concern. He did not reply, looking down in torment. She stood up and looked around. "Where's Eren? Armin?

Gritting his teeth, the boy looked up at Mikasa with tears in his eyes. Mikasa froze in disbelief and felt her heart shatter, realizing what had happened before Armin said a word.

"Our unit... Squad 34: Thomas Wagner, Nic Tierce, Milieus Zeremski, Mina Carolina, and Eren Yeager! These five fulfilled their duties and died heroically in battle!" Armin choked out in agony.

"No way..." Sasha gasped.

"So Squad 34 is basically gone..."

"The same thing will happen to us if we face the Titans."

"I'm sorry, Mikasa!" Armin wailed, his body shaking uncontrollably. "Eren sacrificed himself to save me, I couldn't do anything!" Mikasa said nothing for a moment, before kneeling down and placing a hand on his own.

"Armin, calm down." Mikasa looked at him, her eyes empty and lifeless. "Take a deep breath. Now is not the time to be emotional. Stand up." She pulled him upwards with ease. But before she could say anything else, an unknown being entered the conversation.

 _You poor things. You're far to young to be suffering in this hell._ A sudden female voice entered their minds, confusing them all. They forgot their self pity for a moment and looked around, not knowing what had spoken to them.

"What was that?" Jean demanded. "Did you all hear that?"

"Yeah, I heard it too!" Connie confirmed.

"Are we going crazy?" Sasha whispered.

 _Yes young humans, I am speaking to you. I am Latias, an Eon Dragon. Do not fear, I am here to help you._ The voice assured.

"What?" Armin gasped. A dragon? He remembered that word from a book of fairy tales from his youth. They were suppose to be mystical and very powerful creatures. But they weren't real... right? He forgot his tears and looked for it, yet could not find the one who had spoken.

 _Silly humans, you never think to look up in the sky. I'm flying above you with my friend._ The teasing voice echoed in their minds. Taking her advice, they forced their heads up and finally found her. The red and white creature floated down to the rooftop edge, causing them to scatter away in caution. However to their shock, there was a human riding on her back.

"Sorry I'm late! You would not believe the week I've had." The stranger greeted casually with a wave. He climbed off Latias, stopping to nuzzled her head with one hand. His attire consisted of a black shirt and jacket, with camouflaged cargo pants and tan combat boots. He wore a large backpack, with a large knife and gun secured to his sides. Black fingerless gloves guarded his hands, and a bracelet with a strange stone rested on his wrist. His topaz eyes looked at them all with sympathy, and he stepped forward to speak.

"Who's in command here?" The stranger demanded, looking over them all in resolve. No one answered him, too stunned by the duos appearance to form any coherent words. They could only stare, wondering if this was some strange dream they were all experiencing.

"Answer the question! Who's in command?" The stranger demanded again. Not knowing what else to do, Jean hesitantly stepped forward.

"Uh, I guess I am? Sir?" An uncertain Jean offered. The man looked him over in curiosity before speaking again.

"What's you name, soldier?"

"Jean Kirstein, of the 104st Cadet Corps." The boy replied.

"Cadets? They fucking put child soldiers against those monsters? The sent you all here to die." The man spat in disbelief. Said cadets winced at the harsh truth behind his words, not being able to refute it. "Tell me Jean, why haven't you all retreated yet? This whole damn district is infested with those Titans."

"E-everyone else is dead, or they climbed over the wall. The supply squads abandoned us, and now we don't have the gas to retreat." Jean shakily said, taking breaths to calm himself down. He then asked the question that they were all thinking. "W-who the hell are you?"

"My name is Daniel Thatch. And this is Latias, a dear friend of mine." The dragon cried in agreement. "We're a long way from home, but we want to help you all. That's all you need to know right now."

"And why should we trust you?" Mikasa spoke up, her eyes regaining some of her lost fire. "We know nothing about you. For all we know, you could be an enemy." Some of the Cadets nodded at her point, warily looking at Daniel.

"I'm a man of my word: I say what I mean, and mean what I say. If you don't believe me, that's your problem." Daniel stated firmly. Mikasa actually flushed at that, not knowing how to respond.

 _We came here to save you sorry behinds, mortals._ Latias smirked, revealing her razor sharp teeth. _Those Titans were no match for us yesterday, and that will stand true today as well._

"Ah, excuse me, miss Latias, ma'am." Sasha squeaked out, nervous as the dragon gazed at her with amber eyes. Steeling her nerves, Sasha let her curiosity take over. "W-what exactly are y-you?" Latias smiled easily in response.

 _I'm an Eon Dragon, silly! Nothing can fly faster then us!_ Latias proudly proclaimed. _Don't worry, honey. Those Titans are no match for a Legendary like me!_

"A-aha is that so?" Sasha weakly laughed, optimism returning. "Are you really here to help us?"

"Yes, we are." Daniel interrupted. "We'll answer your questions later. Right now, we have a job to do." Nodding in understanding, Sasha backed off with a hopeful smile.

Daniel then turned back toward Jean. "Is there a supply point that holds this gas that you all need? For that strange gear you're wearing, I assume?"

"Yeah. The HQ down there." Jean pointed to a castle structure far into the distance. "But we won't make there with all the Titans."

"Yes, you will." Daniel firmly replied. "My team and I will handle the Titans, you all just need to focus on staying alive."

"What team?" Jean demanded, confusion in his voice.

"You're about to find out," Daniel smirked, taking a deep breath and facing the group. "EVERYONE LISTEN UP!" Daniel roared with passion, gaining their undivided attention. "I'm assuming command now! From here on out, your lives are my responsibility! We are all going to make it out alive! Stop you pathetic crying and stand up!" They heeded his instructions, feeling a small kindle of hope from his words. He firmly believed in what he was saying, and that effected them as well. "Our goal is to reach the HQ so you all can resupply and scale over the wall! Focus on staying alive, leave the Titans to me!"

"Are you insane? What could you possible do against those monsters?" Annie demanded, a hint of fear in her voice. Her outburst came as a surprise to the other cadets, who knew her as a quiet and lonesome girl. Everyone watched the stranger at that question, wondering how he would respond. He looked at the blond girl for a brief moment before letting out a savage smirk.

"You don't realize one thing, Cadet." The stranger reached into his side bag. "Latias and I didn't come here alone, let me introduce you to some good friends of mine!" He withdrew his hand to reveal five strange small spheres, each colored in a different way. Without hesitation he tossed them into the street below, the vessels enlarging and releasing the beings within.

"AGGRON! CHARIZARD! GARDEVOIR! FROSLASS! SCEPTILE! STAND BY FOR BATTLE!" The stranger shouted out, much to the confusion of everyone else. But they could not have predicted what happened next. Several bursts of blinding red light illuminated the area, forcing them to shield their eyes. Once they regained their sight, they let out gasps of fear and disbelief at what had appeared.

"W-what are t-those things," Jean choked, staring wide eyed at the creatures. He wasn't alone, every cadet on the rooftops looked horrified at the strange creatures before them. There were now six unknown monsters before them, and all of them looked at Daniel as if he was in control of them.

One was a massive beast made from black rock, with solid steel plating covering its body. It held vicious metal claws and horns on it's head, with giant steel fangs around it's mouth. Its girth was massive, blocking most of the street below. Hell, it was larger than some of the Titans!

The next was an large draconic beast, its body orange and yellow with a tail of blazing flame. Its large wings carried it into the air, blue eyes attentive to its surroundings. With a snort a small stream of fire escaped it's mouth, causing those nearby to recoil.

A beautiful fairy creature got their attention next, its body a mix of teal, white, and red. It floated above the ground to the rooftops with ease, its body like a flowing and elegant white gown. Its blood red eyes stared at them all, and they could hear it whisper kind and encouraging things to them.

Next was an ominous white ghost, floating in midair. Purple and blue markings covered it's body, with a large red ribbon tied around it's waist. It let out haunting chimes, it's presence alone making the air chill significantly.

Finally was a large bipedal reptile that leapt upon the building with ease, it's body both green and yellow. Razor sharp leaves covered it's long tail and forearms, it's keen yellow eyes calmly watching them all.

The mere existence of these creatures was an epiphany for the 104th training corps. How could these things be real? What were they, and how could a mere human tame such monsters? Frantic whispers broke out among them, but the stranger paid no mind to their comments. With his hand outstretched dramatically, Daniel issued orders to the monsters.

"Aggron! Charizard! Sceptile! Take front point! Kill the Titans and protect these cadets! Remember to hit the Titans napes!" The trio roared and screeched and agreement, moving into position with swiftness. "Frostlass and Gardevoir! Watch our rear and don't let anything through!"

 _As you wish, Daniel. Do not fear, young humans. We will protect you._ Gardevoir assured, the ice ghost Froslass chiming in agreement. Gardevoir teleported and instantly appeared behind them, making them jump in surprise. Froslass simply floated back, her presence making the cadets shiver from the cold air and fear she brought.

"Latias, you're with me! We'll lead the attack!" The Eon Dragon cried sharply in agreement, letting Daniel mount her again. With eyes glowing white, Latias retrieved the strange spheres and floated them back to Daniel, who caught them and put them away.

"W-what are you?" Annie lost her breath, staring at Daniel in disbelief. She wasn't alone in that sentiment, everyone else staring at him in terror or awe.

"My name is Daniel Thatch, Monster Tamer and Champion of the Hoenn Region! These are my Pokémon, we've been through countless battles and hells! But today, we lend you our strength! If you want to live, follow us! WE MOVE NOW!" Daniel shouted. "Stay together and follow us!" With a cry from Latias, she slowly flew them forward toward the HQ. Aggron and Charizard roared battle cries as they charged forward, Sceptile leaping across the buildings.

"This is insane... what are those things?" Reiner stuttered, a far cry from his confident self.

"A-are we all dreaming? This can't be real."

"What do we do?"

 _I know you're scared, and confused but place your trust in us. I promise that we will protect you, even to the death._ Gardevoir assured, floating toward the front with Froslass. _Come now, or stay here and die. The choice is yours._ Without waiting for a response, the duo moved forward to follow their master.

"I'm going with them," Mikasa voiced her decision, raising a fresh pair of blades. "If you don't fight, you don't win! I'm disappointed in you all!" Mikasa shouted, activating her gear and soaring forward after the stranger and his monsters.

"Mikasa!" Armin cried out, the Asian girl disappearing into the distance.

 _Damn it, what other choice do we have? If we stay here, we're dead anyways._ Jean inwardly laughed, turning towards everyone else. "Hey! What are you all waiting for? Weren't we taught not to let our comrades fight alone?" Jean yelled with a sword raised. "If you stay here, you're nothing but fucking cowards!" Roaring a battle cry, Jean soared after Mikasa and the stranger, his hope rekindled and blazing like a flame.

"I never thought I'd hear him say that," Reiner nervously laughed, walking forward as well.

"What do we have to lose," Connie shrugged and decided and followed them.

"Hey idiots! Crybabies! Cowards! Let's go!" Sasha hollered.

"They're all crazy..."

"Damn it all... let's do it!"

With a collective shout, the 104th Cadet Corps activated their 3DMG gear and flew across the rooftops. They didn't know who Daniel Thatch was, or what those monsters he had were, but now they had the hope they would make it out alive.

* * *

The survivors from the 104th Cadet Corps followed Daniel Thatch and his Pokémon, hanging back as the creatures did battle with the Titans. There were no words that could properly describe the one sided carnage taking place. The Titans, the giant humanoids that had tore through their defenses and slaughtered their friends mere hours ago, were being _annihilated._ As they watched the battle in stunned silence, they learned the names of each of the creatures. Some Titans were knocked down and torn apart by Aggron's brute strength, others burned to ash by Charizard's flame breath, others slain by Sceptiles leaf blades, or just blasted to death by the other Pokémon. The Pokémon were currently leading the charge into the Titan horde, the Cadets trailing behind them in awe.

"AGGRON! USE STONE EDGE! IMMOBILIZE THEM! SCEPTILE! USE LEAF BLADE ON THEIR NAPES!" Daniel's shouted commands over the battlefield. With a roar that shook the earth, The iron skin Pokémon slammed his front claws into the street, large jagged rocks erupting from the ground. The spikes impaled two Titans, rendering them incapable of movement and easy prey for his comrades. Sceptile leapt around and climbed upon the Titans with stunning agility, it's glowing forearm leaves slashing the trapped Titan's napes to kill them. Charizard flew above them in a protective patrol, sending controlled bursts of flame that kept the Titans away, sending them screeching in agony.

Gardevoir and Froslass stayed behind with the Cadets, defending their sides and back fiercely. The few Titans that got close were quickly slain with a vengeance.

 _MOONBEAM!_ Gardevoir mentally screamed outloud as she held out her teal hands, a pulse of white light firing and obliterating a Titan's head and nape. Froslass flew around them at frightening speeds, sending out bursts of sheer cold that froze or slowed down several Titans, incasing them in solid ice. She also hurled chunked of razor sharp ice, impaling their napes and killing the giant humanoids.

But none of them could compare to Latias, who flew all around them with Daniel on her back. The only word for the Eon Dragons performance was _incredible._ The red and white dragon flew at speeds they could never hope to match, sending out countless shining blasts from her mouth that exploded the Titans napes, sending steaming gore all over the buildings. Others she flew right at with shining wings, slicing their napes apart and sending them falling down.

"H-holy shit. I'll be damned," Annie gasped out, falling to her knees in shock. "J-just who the hell is that guy?"

"Fuck, if I know!" Jean laughed manically, clutching his head in pain as he tried to process this strange situation.

"I'm just glad they're on our side," Sasha weakly spoke.

"H-how can anyone control such monsters?" Bertolt spoke up nervously, sweat poring down his face.

"Who cares? I think that we're getting out alive, everyone!" Marco cheerfully replied.

Their conversation was interrupted by Mikasa, who split off from the group and went sideways for a Titan in the distance. She savagely tore out it's nape with her blades, not caring that she was now alone.

"Mikasa! Stop being reckless, you'll be killed! Get back with the group!" Jean cried out to her. The Asian woman ignore him, branching out further to find more Titans to kill. She was on a revenge killing spree, and nothing would stand in her way.

 _Damn it, she wasting all her gas! She's letting Eren's death cloud her emotions, and now she's lashing out to cope with the pain. At this rate, she'll run out of gas and be stranded!"_ Armin thought in panic.

Sure enough, Mikasa's canisters expelled the last sputter of gas, leaving Mikasa to fall down to the streets below.

"Mikasa!" Armin cried out, immediately splitting from the still group to go after her.

"That foolish girl!" Daniel growled at seeing Mikasa fall, and Armin going after her. Thinking for a brief moment, he made a decision, floating Latias down next to the group. "Jean! Lead them on to the HQ! Latias and I will get them back!"

"What! but how are we suppose to survive without you?" A horrified Jean shouted back.

"My Pokémon will protect you, just stay with them! Gardevoir is in charge while I'm away!" Daniel hurriedly explained, before soaring off on Latias. Their eyes followed Daniel and Latias as they disappeared beyond the buildings, not sure what to think. Gardevoir then teleported right next to them, startling them all.

 _Daniel explained the situation to me. What do you need, Jean?_ The elegant fairy spoke out to them all.

"Wait... he talked with you? When?" A confused Jean asked.

 _I share a mental link with Daniel with my psychic power, allowing us to mentally talk over distances._ Gardevoir explained.

"Huh. At this point, I'll be surprised if there's anything you _can't_ do." Jean commented, to which Gardevoir smiled.

"W-what exactly are you, miss Gardevoir? How do you know Daniel?" Sasha asked in curiosity. She knew it wasn't a good time to ask questions, but she couldn't help it.

 _Gardevoir is the name of my kind, we are fairy and psychic type Pokémon. I never asked Daniel for my own name._ The fairy shrugged. _As for Daniel, I've known him since I was a hatchling. He took care and befriended me as a child, and I choose to follow him._

"Why haven't we seen you're kind around before then? Or any of those other creatures?" Reiner demanded, giving a hard look at Gardevoir, though his golden eyes appeared nervous.

 _That's not important right now. We must get out of danger first, then we can talk about the past._ Gardevoir pointed far ahead toward the HQ, where a few Titans could be seen brawling with the other Pokémon.

"She's right, we're not out of danger yet," Jean firmly said, taking the initiative. "Gardevoir, can you and your friends keep the Titans off us? The fairy hummed at that desperate question.

 _To be honest, all of us are exhausted. Using so many powerful attacks has drained our strength_. She admitted, much to their dread. _But despite that, we will come with you. We will fight those Titans the bitter end, if that's what it takes._

"Alright, thank you." Jean sighed tiredly, taking a few deep breaths before turning to the other Cadets. "Everyone, keep going forward! We're already halfway there!" Jean commanded, taking the lead as he soared forward with his gear.

 _Yes, keep going! You're almost there! forward to victory!_ Gardevoir shouted, floating next to them as they charged forward. Despite the seriousness of the situation, and how many people had already died, Jean allowed a brief smile to grace his face.

 _We just might make it out after all._


	4. Chapter 4

We meet again, fellow brothers and sisters of fanfiction! I bring you more Pokemon/SNK shenanigans for your amusement and entertainment. Now sooner or later, I will replace the first chapter with an updated version, explaining the setting better. Now, I know the Pokemon franchise is made kid friendly for the sake of profit and all that jazz. But realistically, the Pokemon universe would be much darker and harsh than depicted in the anime and games, and this story will show that.

I mean, think about it: Pokemon are very powerful creatures, able to be quickly bred and trained to become ruthless monsters in battle. They have elemental attacks, super strength and speed, are able to take hits that would kill or cripple a normal human, incredible mental powers, etc. I'd be damned if the humans in that universe _didn't_ use and abuse Pokemon for war and world domination. So in essence, this Pokemon universe will have changes to reflect a harsher reality. And besides, Ash forever remaining 10 in the anime is pure nonsense anyways. We believe in proper aging and character growth in this household, none of that forever young, never winning a tournament, and leaving behind and forgetting your trained Pokemon _every single damn region_ to extend the series bullshit!

Thank you MM995, for being an awesome proofreader and editor for most of this. Your dedication to writing is encouraging to all us mortals.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I had fun writing this, now on with the show!

* * *

Daniel and Latias soared the cloud-choked skies above Trost, frantically looking for the young soldier named Mikasa. Along the way, the dragon took careful aim at the invading Titans, blasting them to death to thin out the advancing horde. Worry at Mikasa's fate gripped Daniel, the man clutching the feathered neck of his steed for reassurance. He could only pray that the foolish girl had not been eaten alive by the monsters in her suicidal charge. He had seen enough senseless death in his short life, and vainly hoped there would be no more.

 _"There she is!"_ Latias announced with relief.

Looking down below, Daniel caught a glimpse of the girl, a bit battered but alive; a great relief to his burdened soul. Latias altered her flight downward in an impressive display of aerodynamics. With her clawed hands outstretched, the Eon Dragon grabbed Mikasa off the brick pathway and flew her to safety upon a nearby rooftop. The trainer was quick to dismount from the feathered dragon, glaring at the black-haired girl in clear frustration.

"What the hell were you thinking!? You risked your life for nothing!" Daniel scolded. Mikasa said nothing in reply, her grey eyes dead and lifeless to the world. He knew that haunted look; only people whose heart had been crushed with unbearable pain could adopt such an emotionally desolate expression. It was a feeling knew all too well.

With a tired sigh, Daniel snuffed out his anger and offered his hand down in sympathy. "Get up, girl. We're not out of this hell yet."

"Why? My life has no meaning anymore." Tears glistened in the girl's eyes, the dull orbs filled with untold misery. She remained limp upon the rooftop, unwilling to accept his hand and save herself. "Please... just leave me here to die."

 _"You poor thing. D'you lose someone that you care about?"_ Latias asked. Her large amber orbs stared at the girl in concern, easily able to sense her emotions and great pain.

"Yes." The girl failed to stifle her sobs. "Eren is dead... I'm alone again. The world is a cruel place."

"... You loved him, didn't you? More than just a friend?" Her eyes widened slightly at Daniel's statement, confirming his suspicions. He could easily sympathize with her pain, but now was not the time for self-pity. "Listen, Mikasa, I know it hurts. I know how unbearable the agony of losing someone you love is. But you're a soldier, and the battle won't pause and wait for you to pull yourself together."

He gripped the girl's cold hand and pulled her upright. "You have a duty to fulfill and people's lives are on the line. Stand up." She didn't bother to resist, so Daniel kept pressing his point. "If we fail to stop these Titans, then your friend will have died for nothing. We have people counting on us, and a battle to win. Do you understand, soldier?"

"Yes, I do," she quietly whispered.

"Then come with Latias and I. We'll rejoin the others and get out of this hell hole," he firmly stated. Her grey eyes seemed less dull after his words, which he hoped would be enough for the time being. After all, Daniel knew just how badly losing someone you love felt. That soul-crushing pain and remorse that reminded you of what was lost, and the tormented 'what ifs' that haunted your mind.

Even now, Daniel could still see her in his mind, his lost childhood friend; her blue eyes lifeless in death, her body mutilated and brown hair mangled and soaked in blood. All the while he could only scream her name, shaking her broken form in a fruitless attempt to wake her up. He kept himself together, though. Now, of all times, was not the place to revisit that pit of despair and self-loathing that had consumed far too much of his life already.

"Mikasa!" A male voice cried out in relief. Turning around, Daniel saw a small, blond cadet land on the rooftop. The male teen shot a glance of gratitude towards the man and beast before joining his friend. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Armin. I'm fine now," Mikasa tiredly said. The lack of conviction in her words was easy enough to notice. "But, I'm out of gas."

"Here then," Armin's fingers immediately began reaching for his own canisters. "You can have mine, it's wasted on me. It's not much, but it should get you to HQ."

"Armin!" the girl protested, realizing what the boy was implying. He was going to leave himself behind so that she could escape. A swift hand from Daniel grabbed Armin's wrist.

"Don't be stupid, boy. We're not going to leave you behind." Daniel growled.

"How else is Mikasa going to get back? She's more valuable than me!" Armin struggled and failed to get out of the older man's grasp.

 _"Not an issue, silly. I can just carry you all back,"_ Latias spoke up, amber eyes staring at Armin in bemusement. _"I can fly, remember?"_

"Oh, right." Armin looked visibly embarrassed that important detail slipped his mind. However, they were soon interrupted by booming footsteps that promised death. "Oh no! Titans!" He cried out in warning. The group turned and saw two massive Titans wandering nearby. One of them looked to be 14 meters tall, with a hideously ugly and mutated body form. Its horrid face was covered in dried blood, no doubt from its many human victims.

On the other hand, even Daniel could see how shockingly different the second one was in comparison to all the other ones. Its body was properly proportioned and covered in hulking muscles, the giant standing at an imposing 15 meters. A mane of wild and untamed hair covered its colossal head, the dark locks flowing down its nape. The Titan's cheekless maw had several sets of teeth, the bone protrusions appearing capable of rending flesh even with their flat, somewhat jagged structure.

The most distinguishing feature, however, was its eyes. Thus far, whatever expressions the Titans might have had, Daniel had noticed that all of them always had dead, unintelligent eyes. But this one... this one's were a brilliant, emerald green that glowed with ominous intent and _life_. Focus.

Anger.

Surprisingly, the muscled Titan walked past them and charged towards the other Titan instead. With a vicious roar, a colossal fist bashed in the smaller Titan's head, sending it crashing down upon the cold brick road.

"W-what?" Armin voiced the group's collective astonishment at this scenario. "A Titan... is killing another Titan?"

As if to confirm his statement, the strange Titan raised its foot up over the wounded creature, smashing the neck into a bloody mush. The Titan ignored them entirely, wandering away.

 _"That's not all."_ Latias hummed aloud in thought. _"Its mind... it's different from the other Titans. I can hear its thoughts."_

"Are you saying that it's intelligent?" Daniel asked, curiosity evident.

 _"Yes. And... oh my. I think you all need to hear_ this _,"_ Latias commented, and her body took a bright blue glow. Not a moment later, the inner voice of the strange Titan echoed in their heads.

 _"Kill... the Titans! Every last one! I'll kill you all!"_ It was a voice consumed with an inferno of rage. A hatred so strong, it could only be sated by ruthless killing, until all its enemies were wiped out. Mikasa and Armin's eyes widened in shock at the familiar voice echoing in their heads. They _knew_ that voice.

"Eren?" Mikasa's gasped in disbelief. She stared at the now distant form of the giant, a mixture of hope and confusion kindled in her grey eyes. "How... is he a Titan? I don't understand."

"But... Eren was killed. I saw him eaten in front of me." Armin grabbed his head in denial. "That can't be him. It just isn't possible."

 _"It_ is _your friend Eren. I can feel it,"_ Latias confirmed. _"Don't these memories look familiar to you?"_

Not a moment later, images filled the minds of the two cadets. They couldn't properly explain the mental experience, but it was like they were seeing events from a bystander's perspective. Brief flashes of memories were forced into their heads, only to be gone a moment later. One stood out above the others, though. The moment that changed everything.

 _"I'll kill the Titans! I'll wipe them off the face of the earth! Not a single one will be left!" A young Eren screamed in a mixture of pure hatred and agony. His fingers bled as they squeezed the wooden ship railing in a white-knuckled grip, tears streaming down his face as he stared at the ruined remains of his hometown. A younger Mikasa and Armin stared at their friend in tense silence, not knowing what to say to comfort him after the hell they had seen. They sailed away along the river with the other survivors, watching in horrified quietude as the Titans began to come through the smashed inner gate of Wall Maria._

As impossible as it all was, that last memory confirmed Latias's claim to Armin and Mikasa. This strange Rogue Titan was Eren. He was _alive._ That realization brought a stunning sense of relief and worry to their souls. They could only stare silently at Titan Eren, who roared in fury as he killed other nearby Titans brutally, sauntering farther away from them with each kill.

"So, it looks like some humans can retain some control after they become Titans. That's very interesting," Daniel commented. The implications of this revelation were both intriguing and terrifying to the young champion. After all, if this Eren was capable of retaining a degree of control as a Titan, it was not unreasonable to assume that there were others like him. Were these anthropical monsters perhaps a result of human experimentation gone wrong? Or had another group of people created these Titans to kill off the wall people?

And if so, then could they be cured or saved from their tragic fate?

 _The plot thickens, but I feel I'm merely scratching the surface,_ Daniel thought. _I need to find out more._

"The Titans are humans?" Armin paled at that reveal, unwilling to believe it. Mikasa also looked stunned, her mouth opening in silent understanding.

"Well, yeah. Isn't it obvious? The Titans are mutated humans, kinda like zombies," Daniel casually stated, matter-of-fact in his delivery.

Mikasa and Armin stared at him in confusion, unsure of what he was trying to explain.

 _Oh, right. Different world. They won't understand my references,_ Daniel thought. Giving an exaggerated cough into his fist, he stared at the two cadets in utter seriousness. "My point is, all these Titans were once humans, and your friend looks like he's a rather special one."

"Then how do we get Eren back? There must be a way, right? Can we turn him back into a human?" Mikasa frantically pleaded with the older man. In her eyes, Daniel could easily see the love and worry she had for this Eren fella. It was honestly quite touching, and it warmed his heart just a tad bit.

 _"No, wait! His human body is still intact."_ Latias excitedly announced.

"What do you mean by that? What happened to Eren?" Armin desperately asked. Latias glowed with power again, the red and white Eon Dragon staring intently at Eren's Titan form.

 _"He's inside the Titan, I think he's controlling it like a puppet."_ Latias hummed. _"From inside the nape. The stream of thoughts and memories is emanating from there."_

"Then we'll get him back," Mikasa stated firmly, her eyes ignited with fire again. She swiftly reached down and swiped two replaceable blades from Armin, attaching them to her gear handles with purpose.

"Mikasa, what are you planning to do?" Daniel cautiously asked, not that he couldn't already guess what she was thinking.

"Eren's in the nape of that Titan's neck, right? I'll cut him out," Mikasa replied with barely controlled fierceness.

"That's suicide! We don't know if Eren can recognize you in this state; he might kill you!" Armin protested.

"I don't care! I won't leave Eren! Never again, he needs me!" the female teen fired back. She stormed up even closer to her friend, who shrunk back under the intimidating aura she gave off. "Now, give me your gas, Armin! I'll get him back!"

"W-wait! Listen, I have an idea!" Armin held his hands up in a placating manner, while Mikasa impatiently waited for him to talk. "Why don't we use Eren to kill the other Titans? If we can lure him to HQ, he can clear them out for us!"

"No! Absolutely not!" Mikasa angrily spat at his suggestion. "I'm not leaving Eren trapped in that nightmare any longer. I want him back _now_!"

"But Mikasa, look at how strong he is! He's annihilating the other Titans as easily as Daniel's Pokemon! With proper direction, he might even be able to take back Trost for us!" the blond pleaded, hoping she would see his reasoning.

"I don't care! His safety is more important to me!" The glare she gave Armin promised pain, causing him to wince and recoil at her hostility. "Daniel's pets can deal with the Titans, I'm getting Eren back now!"

Seeing that the situation was escalating, Daniel decided to intervene. "I agree with Armin." Both teens looked at him in surprise. "Eren's Titan form is too valuable not to use in this battle. We'll go with Armin's plan." The blond boy looked relieved at his support, but Mikasa clearly felt differently.

"Why? How could you be so cruel?" Mikasa whispered to Daniel, her gaze consumed by a mix of sorrow and frustration. "Eren is still alive in there. Why are you keeping him from me?"

"We need his strength, Mikasa. Every Titan he kills is one less enemy for us. If we let him run amok, let him go on with his killing spree, it'll make our job that much easier," Daniel replied authoritatively.

"No! I can't lose him to that monster! Why won't you let me help him?" the cadet demanded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'll cut him out of that Titan. Just move aside!" She shakily held up her weapons at the young man. Armin looked horrified at how she was behaving, silently begging her not to do the unthinkable. Latias glared at Mikasa, no doubt sending a silent warning not to try it.

Daniel, however, remained calm in the face of Mikasa's threat.

"The Titans' weakness is at their napes, right? What if you kill Eren by accident? Is that a risk you want to take?" he tested. Mikasa looked conflicted at his words, so he pressed his point. "We are not abandoning him. We'll find a way to help him, but please be patient. Right now, we need him to kill the Titans at HQ. I imagine most of my Pokemon are at their limits by now, so he's the best shot we have at winning this. There are no two ways to go about it. Understand?"

Her hostility evaporated at his words, and she slowly lowered her blades.

"I just want to be at his side; why is that so hard?" Mikasa lamented. She looked like a girl who was hopelessly lost in life, without any comfort in the world. Daniel sighed and walked a few steps closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. It was clear that Mikasa was not emotionally stable, not a good trait for a soldier to have.

He had to soothe things over; there just wasn't any time to deal with the issue at the moment.

"You will get Eren back, I swear that to you. But first, we must win. Eren's still alive and kicking, figuratively and quite literally. He's more than holding his own, but the other cadets are _way_ out of their league. The longer we stay here, the more of them will die." Topaz eyes stared into grey, conveying a silent test of dominance.

"When all is said and done, and you got Eren back in your loving embrace, you _won't_ want that on your conscience," he added for good measure.

After a brief eternity, Mikasa looked away in defeat. "Alright, we'll do it your way," she conceded. Daniel nodded in gratitude, backing off and walking over to Latias.

He nodded, satisfied. "Alright, then. Hop on Latias. Our troubles are far from over." Remounting his partner, he motioned for Armin and Mikasa to come forward, which they did after some hesitation. It was a tight fit, but the trio of soldiers were able to fit onto Latias for the flight to come, Daniel and Mikasa on her neck, while Armin, being the smallest of the group, was picked up in her arms.

He could feel the silent treatment from Mikasa, no doubt she was still upset at his decision. He sighed in resignation, not having expected the girl who'd first seemed so composed to be so hard to please.

"Mikasa, I'm not gonna lie to you; whether you like me or not doesn't really matter to me. What's relevant is that our goals align. Or at least, the methods necessary to achieve our respective goals do," he said. "I want Eren alive, too, you know."

She was quiet for a moment before answering him. "You haven't even met him. The only reason you want him alive is to take Trost back."

"I disagree, but let's assume it's true, would that really be so wrong? Besides, I don't want to hear that from someone who admitted she'd see Trost and its citizens laid low for the sake of a single guy." The lack of a response and the slight shifting he felt were answer enough for him. "Either way, don't worry. We'll get him back soon enough, and once this is all over, you can shower him with hugs and liplocks as much as you want."

"We're family," she mumbled out in reply. He swore that he could feel the girl behind him blush, but paid it no mind. Daniel then tapped Latias twice on the neck, wordlessly signaling for her to take flight.

 _"Hold on tight,"_ was the only warning Latias gave before she zoomed upward at astonishing speed. Daniel couldn't help but chuckle at the yelps Armin gave out as they soared across Trost. Even Mikasa clenched the trainer in fear, tightly squeezing his ribs with her considerable strength. It was clear they both had never flown before, much less on something as fast as Latias.

"D-don't do that again, Latias. Please!" Armin shook from the adrenaline, his mind terrified and body unused to the sensation of flight.

 _"Aww, but it's so fun! Oh oh, did you know a human's facial skin could peel off after reaching a certain speed? I've never tried it before, but we_ are _in a hurry,"_ Latias said with childish excitement and seriousness that still caught Daniel off guard on occasion.

"N-No, no, no! I'm good, thanks!" Armin replied frantically, clinging to her arms for dear life.

After barely a few seconds of flight, they were right above the rampaging human in Titan form. "There he is. Do you have a plan?" Mikasa impatiently asked.

Daniel frowned as he stared at the Titan, who was oblivious to their presence. They needed to somehow guide him over the HQ in a swift manner. He was far too heavy to move, and it was clear he didn't feel like talking. So how could they get Eren to willingly follow them? A surge of inspiration hit Daniel, as he realized a simple solution to this problem.

"Latias, can you reach into his mind and guide him?" he asked his steed.

 _"Of course I can, silly. Easy as pie. He's pretty much acting on instinct, so his natural mental defenses should be low,"_ Latias body took a blue glow, which soon enveloped Eren, as well. The Titan grew angry and tried to resist psychic force at first, but soon stopped in his attempts. He looked up at Latias with a confused expression, though much tamer then it was moments before. Titan Eren showed a brief hint of recognition toward Armin and Mikasa, but otherwise seemed to be in a dreamlike trance. _  
_

"Latias... what did you do?" Armin asked with a mix of awe and fear. Even Mikasa looked a bit unnerved at Latias, knowing that she couldn't hope to defeat the Eon Dragon if push came to shove.

 _"I linked his mind to mine, so he's partially under my control. Now, I can make him follow us to the HQ,"_ Latias said proudly.

"Nice work," Daniel complemented. "Just implanting the suggestion alone would've been enough, but this is even better."

 _"Yay! I got a slave! Bet I can make him roll over. No! Even better, I should have him karate chop a Titan in half! What do you guys think?_ _"_ the Pokemon asked in such a way that made it unclear to the two cadets whether she was joking or being serious, raising their anxiety to new levels.

"Whatever gets the job done faster, Latias. You have free reign," Daniel supplied, amused. _I see you still haven't let go of your delusions of adopting minions._

 _Oh, hush you. Don't ruin my fun just when I got my wish,_ Latias shot back, sending a command Eren's way. He walked forward with heavy footsteps, his sight set on the Titans milling around the supply building on the hill. _"_ _Come on, big guy! Let's go kill Titans!"_ _  
_

* * *

Daniel Thatch's Pokémon were powerful indeed, with countless battles under their belt. They fought fiercely against the Titans, leading the 104th deeper into Trost. They were the only line of defense the green cadets had, acting as both their sword and shield. They ignored their tired bodies, running on adrenaline as they continued to slay the Titans with envious efficiency.

But alas, the Pokémon could not save everyone. There were just far too many Titans infested in the district, and they were being overwhelmed by the increasing number of opponents they had to face. They had the power and experience to fight back and avoid being killed, but the graduates did not have that luxury.

One of the smaller Titans leaped up and snatched a cadet girl from a rooftop, inciting screams of terror from her as her ribs were squeezed by massive fingers. Her pleas for her life were silenced by the monster crushing her body in half with its teeth, spilling her insides upon the ground in a nightmarish display of gore.

Another cadet ran out of gas, causing him to fall and break bones upon the brick pathway below. Several Titans quickly ganged up on the unfortunate soul and ripped him apart.

"Damn it!" Jean yelled in anguish, hearing yet another person's dying screams. Sceptile moved in to avenge the fallen soldiers, slaying the monsters with his leaf blades. The Forest Pokemon was fast enough to save a few cadets grabbed by the Titans, carrying them back to the rooftops to relative safety.

Gardevoir and Froslass helped push back the Titans where they could, sending fairy and ice-based attacks respectively. Charizard and Aggron took out the majority of the hostile giants, ripping their napes out and shielding the cadets when possible. Yet, despite their combined efforts, there were still countless man-eaters lurking around Trost, searching for more morsels to devour.

 _Why? Why am I seeing everyone die? Why can't I do anything but run?_ Jean thought with gritted teeth. _Damn you, Daniel!_ _Why did you force this responsibility on me? I'm not cut out to be a leader!_ He could only run ahead in example, unable to do anything for those unlucky enough to be caught. _  
_

_"Keep going forward! If you look back, it'll defeat the whole purpose of this charge!"_ Gardevoir sang aloud. The Embrace Pokemon stayed with the group in their run through hell, guiding them through the chaos. She made full use of her psychokinetic and fairy abilities, attacking the Titan's minds to slow the abominations down. She directed her Pokemon teammates in the battle in a desperate race against time to get the cadets to safety.

 _Not much further now,_ Jean thought in relief, daring to hope that things would be okay. He shot a grapple line upwards, pulling himself up on one of the taller buildings in the area. Though upon getting a good look at the HQ below, the ashen-haired teen came to a halt and gazed in horror.

"Oh my God." He paled, bearing witness to the entire area around the supply building being surrounded by Titans, like ants on a piece of cake. Several of the walls were smashed in, and the monsters could be seen reaching inward. Some of the smaller Titans were even climbing on the building, trying to break through the ceiling and windows to get inside.

There were no gaps in the horde, no spaces that they could slip by without getting caught and devoured. But without the gas from inside, they couldn't refuel and scale up Wall Rose to safety. They were trapped, like cornered rats.

There was no way out.

Some of his comrades soon joined him, staring helplessly at the monsters in the distance.

"They're so many of them," Sasha whimpered, about to break down and cry. "I want to go home..."

"It really is hopeless. We're dead!" Connie lamented.

"Damn it all. What can we do?" Reiner growled in frustration.

"At least we tried." Marco sighed, his optimism forsaken. "It was a good life while it lasted."

A flash of light appeared next to them, a familiar fairy now standing near them again. The cadets took comfort in her presence, looking toward her in hopes she would come through yet again.

 _"I see. You can't get by the Titans without getting killed."_ Gardevoir's blood red eyes stared down in though, analyzing the situation. " _You need to get inside that building there, correct?"_

"Yeah, but we'll be torn apart if we try," Jean said in resignation. "Without that gas, we can't escape this nightmare." His mood then shifted towards anger. "Damn that Daniel, where the hell is he? We need that bastard here, and that Latias! Did they abandon us?"

That horrifying thought gripped the group. Did the person they saw as a savior leave them to die?

 _"Don't be foolish. If Daniel didn't care, he would not have asked us to protect you."_ Gardevoir made her displeasure known, her eyes narrowed at Jean. _"I don't appreciate you insulting him, Jean. Especially when it is his decision that is bolstering your chances of survival"._ The teen recoiled at the Pokemon's rebuke, feeling a bit of fear toward the fairy. Her expression then softened into understanding. " _Now, what are your orders?"_

"W-what? Why are you asking me?" Jean asked in confusion.

 _"Because Daniel asked us to listen to you, and because, unwittingly or not, you've made yourself the leader when you goaded the other cadets into this. Now, give me an answer; we're running out of time,"_ the impatient Gardevoir reminded him.

 _Dammit, she's right. But... can I, the hot-head who went out of his way to make sure he got a cushy job in the interior, really take responsibility for their lives in this situation?_ the young soldier wondered. He looked back at the faces of the 104th, his friends and comrades from those three grueling years of hardship and training. Marco, Sasha, Connie, Bertolt, Reiner, Annie, and so many others looked back at Jean, waiting for his response.

He gritted his teeth, knowing that their lives were now in his hands. He didn't like it, but if his decision could get them all out alive, then so be it. He knew what had to be done. _  
_

"Gardevoir, can you and your friends take out the Titans around HQ? And protect us from them, please?" Jean asked. He held his breath in fear, hoping her response would soothe his tormented mind. To his surprise, the fairy creature reached out and gently touched his head, and a sudden, inexplicable feeling of peace washed over him, like all his cares and worries just vanished in an instant.

 _"Do not despair, Jean. We'd didn't come this far just to give up now."_ Gardevoir turned around toward the group, clear purpose, and resolution in her red eyes. _"We'll kill the Titans. Be ready to move when I give the signal."_ With a flash of light, the psychic was instantly transported far below them. _  
_

"I hope they can do it," Sasha said, nervously biting her lip at the sheer number of the creatures.

"They've carried us this far, I trust them to the end," Marco declared, trying his hardest to be optimistic.

 _"Please don't let us down. I don't want to die,"_ Jean silently pleaded. The cadets watched the Pokemon gather below, suspense making the air they breathed in feel ten times heavier. At some unheard command from Gardevoir, the five supernatural beings started their coordinated attack.

Froslass and Sceptile were the first to strike, the duo taking down the few lesser Titans climbing the fortress walls. The mutant humanoids may have been fast, but their attacks were clumsy and predictable. It was all too easy for the two to avoid their grimy hands, and strike them down.

Gardevoir acted next, teleporting to the top of the HQ building. Her teal hands were outstretched, red eyes glaring in displeasure at the horrid giants below. Her body glowed blue with psychic power, and the Titans began to grab their heads, groaning in pain. Steaming blood splattered from their eyes, the monsters beginning to wail loudly as Gardevoir intensified her attack on their minds.

With a metallic roar, Aggron slammed his clawed forearms into the earth. Countless jagged rock spikes erupted from the streets, impaling the distracted Titans all over their forms. Now immobile, the humanoid giants could not escape their doom.

With a fierce roar that echoed throughout Trost, Charizard descended upon the trapped Titan group. His jagged maw opened wide, and the draconian beast let loose an intense blast of searing flames, making the Titans screech as their flesh was consumed by fire. Charizard did not lessen his attack, carefully focusing the inferno on their napes one by one, until they were incinerated into ash. Aggron joined him in the slaughter, ripping apart the smaller Titans with his metal claws.

In less than a minute, the area around the supply building was cleared. Aggron returned the rock spikes to the earth, causing the lifeless Titans to fall down as their broken bodies slowly evaporated into nothing.

"Such power," Annie whispered, blue eyes wide at the coordinated destruction the Pokemon caused. Terror gripped her insides like a vice at witnessing the power of these creatures. Reiner and Bertolt were in a similar state, though they hid it better.

 _"Do it now! The path is clear, we'll cover your sides!"_ Gardevoir announced to them all.

"Now! Everyone, move now! Go!" Jean called out, jumping off and activating his 3DMG gear. He heard the hissing of compressed gas from behind him, his fellow cadets following his lead. They landed on the houses below, sprinting across the rooftops at full speed. The Pokemon could be seen engaging the Titans in the surrounding area, killing them before they could reach the humans. Hope flared up inside them all, the recruits surging forward as they closed the distance.

With a shout of determination, Jean led the charge. Going full throttle in the air, he smashed through a side window feet first, sending countless shards of glass flying around the room. He rolled to a stop on the wooden floor, head dizzy as he stood up in pain.

Several other windows were shattered as well, the cadets pouring in as quickly as they could. There were plenty of fresh wounds from the broken glass, but they were far too happy to care about that. They were alive, and that was what mattered at this moment.

"We made it!" Connie cried out in relief.

"We're alive! Yahoo!" Sasha cheered with raised arms, her optimism restored.

"I don't know who that guy was, or where he found those monsters, but I could kiss his ass right now." Jean panted in relief. Similar cheers and shouts sounded off, but he didn't feel like joining them. His heart felt heavy at the few cadets that didn't make it, but it couldn't be helped. Doubtless, their casualties would have been much heavier without the Pokemon's aid. He turned his head sideways and his breathing stopped momentarily at the sight of two soldiers that were hiding and crying underneath a wooden desk.

"Hold on a sec... you two are part of supply squad, right?" he realized, barely contained rage in his voice. He didn't wait for them to answer, instead pulling one out by the shirt and punching him in the face. He would have lashed out more, had Marco not quickly restrained his arms from behind.

"Jean! Calm down!" Marco begged, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"You bastards abandoned us!" Jean roared in livid rage, all his emotion from today being unleashed. "People are dead because of you! Because you didn't have the guts to do your goddamn _job_!"

"The Titans got into the basement! We couldn't do anything!" The girl cadet sobbed. She clung to the bloodied cadet Jean had punched, cowering before his anger.

"It was your job to do something about it! You think it was any easier for us out there, with no backup in sight?" Jean spat venomously. He would have thrown plenty more insults, had a Titan's roar not sounded out from nearby.

"Everyone, get down!" Reiner called out, just before a wall was smashed inward. The impact sent two nearby people flying backward, the horrid face of two monsters looking at the terrified cadets within.

The ashen-haired teen gritted his teeth in frustration. "Dammit, there are too many people gathered here!" Panic overtook the majority of the recruits, the group screaming and retreating further in.

"Hurry! Get inside!"

"Run for your lives!"

"Where's Daniel and Latias?"

"They abandoned us! We're on our own!"

 _This is normal. This is reality, isn't it? Was I just chasing a delusional dream?_ Jean thought numbly. He was frozen in place, staring at the massive faces that tormented his soul. _Some might be able to kill these monsters, but in the end, we can't beat them!  
_

As if to prove Jean wrong, a massive fist suddenly flew in from the side and bashed the two Titans' heads inwards. The monsters were sent flying away from the building, skidding and tumbling down the brick road. Even through the thick steam and clouds of dust, the cadets could easily see the colossal being standing outside.

"What the hell is that?" Jean gaped at the strange Titan. The entire room watched the muscular Titan outside, their expressions varying from fear to numb shock. The humanoid beast roared in dominance, ignoring them and marching off to dispose of the Titans it had attacked. As it moved aside, a familiar Eon Dragon floated down to greet them all.

 _"Reinforcements have arrived!"_ The mental voice of Latias proclaimed cheerfully. Her presence brought visible relief to the cadets, who had witnessed just how powerful she was earlier. Latias set down her passengers, who happened to be Daniel, Mikasa, and Armin.

"Sorry we're late, you guys! You wouldn't believe the traffic!" the oldest of the bunch casually commented. He turned to the hole in the building. "Aggron! Charizard! Protect the big, green-eyed Titan, and keep the other ones away from us! Latias, give them a hand! Guide our big friend where you think he'd do the most damage! Everyone else, return!"

 _"Aye aye, boss!"_ Latias responded in her usual child-like seriousness, soaring outside to engage the enemy. Daniel heard Aggron and Charizard also give roars of understanding, the two behemoths continuing the battle. Had Eren been conscious of it, Daniel imagined he would've been having a hell of a day with the way he was massacring the other Titans and all.

As long as he was rampaging outside, they didn't have to worry about the mindless Titans getting in. Sceptile leapt upwards through the shattered wall, limping slightly but calm and collected. Daniel patted Sceptile on the arm in thanks, the tired reptilian humanoid walking over to the captivated cadets.

"Finally, you're back!" Jean spoke up, taking notice of Armin and Mikasa as well. "Where the hell were you?"

"We found an abnormal Titan that's attacking its own kind," the blond hurriedly explained, taking the initiative. His face was determined and focused, Jean could almost imagine the gears turning in his head. "Latias brought him back here to take out the other Titans for us. With him, I firmly believe that we can win this. Maybe even take back Trost!"

"Are you insane, Armin? You want to rely on a Titan to save us? You must be out of your mind if you think..." the taller teen protested.

"It _is_ working," Mikasa interrupted. The glare she gave Jean made him flinch. "He's fighting for us. Besides, realistically speaking, what choice do we have?"

"While we're on the subject of choices," Reiner interjected, walking forward with a rare glare of his own directed at the black-haired girl, "how would you like to explain that stunt of yours back there? You know, when we were in the middle of Titan-infested territory, and you hung us out to dry."

Mikasa's intimidating gaze faltered, and Armin stepped forward with his hands raised in a placating manner. "Reiner, this really isn't the time for-"

"Now is the most crucial time!" the large cadet snapped. "She took the initiative and made the decision to lead the charge! She knew that the chances of retaking the supply room in here would drop significantly without her! And yet, she went ahead and tried to kill herself anyway, abandoning us along the way. How can we trust her when she clearly showed that duty, responsibility, and her fellow soldiers mean jack-shit to her?"

Jean wanted to argue that it wasn't the case; that she'd just gotten emotional at the news of Eren's death. But he couldn't, not after seeing the other cadets smashed, devoured, and squeezed to death at the hands of the Titans, the horror that was this ridiculously one-sided war.

Not when the wound was still so unbearably fresh. If the muttering and glances from the other recruits were any indication, they felt the same way.

"Why, Mikasa?" he couldn't help but ask. Considering this was the girl he was crushing on, it was that much more painful. "I know that Eren meant a lot to you, but... are we really so worthless that you can brush us off to the side just like that? What about Armin? What about those that died on the way here?"

She bit her lip, in shame hopefully, her eyes shifted downward but refused to answer, and that made something in him snap. "What about those that would've lived if you'd just stayed with the group, huh?! If you'd stayed, Daniel and Latias would have been there too, and maybe we'd _all_ have made it! But that didn't happen! Instead, you played the tragic heroine card and tried to die in a blaze of glory like your beloved suicidal maniac, leaving us to be put down like a bunch of _dogs_!"

"I get it."

Jean's glare relaxed a mite when she finally provided an answer. She lifted her gaze and stared at him directly, regret and guilt present in her eyes, but strength and resolve, too. "You have every right to mistrust me, be angry at me, even hate me for what I did. I'm a hypocrite, I pretended to be strong when I am weak, and I failed you all when you needed me the most," she said in her bland voice, as if stating mere facts.

The negative emotions in her heavy stare were then overshadowed by composed determination. "But, trustworthy or not, you need me for this stage of the operation. The supply room has been overrun by Titans, and I'm the best one here. Daniel's Pokemon are either exhausted or fighting outside. And if I can redeem myself by helping us finally leave this hell behind, then all the better, because..." she swallowed, "because I _am_ sorry."

Even through the haze of lingering indignation, Jean could feel a mild flood of relief wash over him; the knowledge of her repentance erasing some of the built-up tension. Though the doubt was still there, he could see the other cadets mellow somewhat as well. Reiner remained stone-faced for a few long moments before nodding in acceptance.

Besides, practically speaking, she was correct on all points. For the next step of the plan, her assistance could very well be invaluable.

"Mikasa's right," Daniel exclaimed suddenly. "Infighting will only make a bad situation worse. Whatever issues you lot might have, they can wait until after we've made our way over the wall." He clapped his hands. "Now, where is this gas you need?"

* * *

The cadets were quickly preparing for the task at hand, knowing that their very lives depended on it. According to the one who had been trapped in HQ earlier, the armory in the basement was overrun with 3-4 meter Titans. In such a dark and constricted area, using their 3DMG gear would be impossible, so they were at a massive disadvantage. But, in order to get the gas they needed to retreat, the monsters would have to be taken out first.

True to his word, Daniel had assumed command again. He was confident filling this role, as he had done it many times in the past. It was clear that this was the first battle many of these cadets had been in, so his past experiences automatically made him more qualified. After all, he knew how important a chain of command was on the battlefield, especially when fighting bigger, stronger foes.

Looking at the remaining youths in the room, Daniel felt a stab of guilt at the few missing faces. Some of them didn't survive after all, despite his vocal insistence that they would.

 _Damn it all... I took command of this nightmare. I said we'd all get out alive, and they believed me. I should've known better by now. Why did I make a promise I knew I couldn't keep?_ he thought in grief. He shook that trail of thought off, knowing that it was pointless to drown in self-pity. He reached out through the mental link he shared with Gardevoir, asking her to return. No doubt the presence of his very first Pokemon would ease his soul.

Not a moment later, Gardevoir teleported into the building, collapsing on the ground in exhaustion. She had pushed herself beyond her own limits again, not surprising considering how stubborn she was.

"Gardevoir! Are you okay?" Sasha asked in concern. She knelt down next to the fairy creature, placing her hand on a teal arm.

 _"...Yes. I'm just tired. My energy is spent."_ Gardevoir sighed. The fatigue in her voice was clear. Daniel said nothing, paying Sasha no mind as he knelt down next to his Pokemon and pulled off his backpack. From it, he withdrew several Max Elixir bottles, knowing that his team would need them to get their strength back.

Carefully crafted to replenish a Pokemon's energy levels, even during the heat of battle, these wonders of science were very hard to produce, and thus, very expensive. Their physical counterpart, the Max Potion, which restored their physical energy and stamina was thankfully cheaper, and he took out a few of those as well. He wasn't in a risk-taking mood right now, not after all those who'd died.

He looked up and came face-to-face with his starter's stern but sympathetic gaze.

 _"It's not your fault,"_ Gardevoir assured, already knowing what Daniel was thinking. " _You can't save everyone, we already learned that long ago."_

 _I know. But that doesn't mean I have to like it,_ Daniel bitterly thought, the face of her flashing in his mind again. He forced his sorrow down, though he wanted nothing more than to hug his fairy friend right now. But he was a commander and couldn't look weak when his subordinates were plenty terrified already. He would shed tears later; right now, he had a job to do and people to look after.

With a sudden shriek, Froslass floated through the floorboards, scaring the cadets happened to be near... and narrowly dodged a sword swipe from one of them.

"Stop! It's okay! It's just Froslass. She likes to scare people now and then," Daniel hurriedly explained. The ice-type giggled happily and floated around without a care, ignoring the annoyed and dirty looks the startled few shot her.

"Froslass, now's really not the time for that. We're all pretty high-strung as it is." The trainer offered a few potions over to the Snow Land Pokemon. "Take these to the others. They're going to need them."

 _"Okay, Danny!"_ the ice ghost chimed. She wrapped her long, boneless arms around the containers and quickly floated through a broken window. He also offered some out to Sceptile and Gardevoir, who happily accepted.

 _"Thank you. This is just what I needed."_ Floating the container mid-air, Gardevoir opened it. In an careful use of physic powers, she floated the blue liquid into her mouth lazily. A blue glow appeared around her form briefly and the fairy gave a sigh of content, now looking much better. Sceptile removed the tops quickly with his claws, gulping down the Elixir and then Max Potion with practiced ease.

Daniel's thoughts were interrupted by a hand poking his arm for attention. He looked aside to see a young woman with red-brown hair, the girl staring at his bag with licked lips.

"Do you want something?" Daniel asked, eyeing her in curiosity. This cadet seemed like an odd one to him, but she looked rather friendly and easy on the eyes, so he had no complaints.

"So, ah, do you have any food in there? Some that you'll share?" she asked with clasped hands and a hopeful smile. She gave her best adorable doe eyes toward him, no doubt an attempt to charm him so she could raid his already limited supplies.

"Sasha, now is not the time to think about your stomach." A nearly bald boy groaned at her behavior.

"I can't help it, I didn't get to eat lunch!" she defensibly replied.

As if to prove her point, her stomach let out a grumble of discontent. A dramatic gasp escaped her lips, and Sasha fell down in front of Daniel, clutching her stomach and moaning in mock pain. The man snorted bemusedly at her antics, and his hand pulled something from his bag. He could afford to be generous with his favorite food just this once. He ripped off the plastic covering on one of his food bars and held it out to Sasha.

"Here, would you like some beef?" he offered. Not a second later, the girl swept it free from his hands, her eyes wide and crazed with desire.

"MEAT!" Sasha screamed out in pure joy. And to Daniel's shock, she viciously tore into the snack, like a starving animal would on caught prey. She paused for a few seconds to savor the flavor, a look of ecstasy appearing on her face.

"IT'S _REAL_!" she exclaimed. And to everyone's surprise, she lunged at the trainer and grabbed his jacket collar. "Are you God? Have my prayers been answered?" Sasha demanded as she shook him vigorously, her gold eyes intently looking at him in worship.

"What?! No!" Daniel grabbed her arms, but this did not discourage her.

"You have more meat, right? Please, share some with me! I'm begging you!"

"Calm down, woman!" With some effort, Daniel pried the hysterical soldier off his chest. All the while the other cadets watched the spectacle with amusement or groans at her behavior. It got a few laughs out if nothing else.

"Tell you what, once we get behind the wall, I'll give you some more meat, alright?" he offered. Hopefully, that would placate her.

"Yes, great one!" Sasha gave the most respectful military salute he had ever seen in his life. She then quickly scarfed down the meat bar, blushing and giggling as she walked away, throwing happy glances at him.

 _What a strange girl,_ Daniel thought in bewilderment, lightly shaking his head. _  
_

 _"You're talking as if she'd be your first admirer,"_ Gardevoir commented, to which he inwardly gave a resigned sigh. No doubt she would tease him on this later.

"Take a look at what we found! Thanks to the Military Police. Damn things are covered in a layer of dust," Jean announced aloud. He and a few other cadets carried several large wooden boxes into the room. They set them down and opened them up, revealing military rifles and ammunition.

Jean pulled one out, inspecting it with a frown. "Will three shots be enough? I mean... are guns even going to work against Titans?" All around them, their comrades inspected and loaded the rifles.

"They're far better than nothing," Armin said. He knelt down with the plans in front of him, several others gathered around. "If there are still seven Titans below that are 3 to 4 meters tall, it should be possible to blind them with this much firepower."

"Interesting. I take it you have a plan, Armin?" Daniel commented.

"Yes. Here's my idea," Armin began to explain. "First, we'll use the lift to lower a large number of people into the center of the chamber. Next, they'll fire directly into the faces of all seven Titans at once. This should blind them. The next moment will decide everything. Seven people hiding on the ceiling rafters will jump down and attack their weak spots while they're blinded. In other words, this plan will put everyone's lives on the line for a single attack. Seven people have to slay seven Titans at the same time. The seven people should be the most physically capable ones we have here. I'm sorry, but you'll have to shoulder everyone's lives."

"No worries." Reiner gave an easy smile.

"If we fail, we all die. The risk is the same, regardless of who goes," Annie pointed out.

"But there is also Daniel and his Pokemon to consider." Armin looked over at the man in question. "You'll help us here, right?"

 _"I'd rather not all that trouble we went through be for nothing, so, yes,"_ Gardevoir said, Sceptile also grunting in agreement.

"What she said. I'm not really in the habit of bitching out at the last second," Daniel commented and gave the okay sign to Armin. "The risks should be minimized with us on your side."

"In that case, do you have any advice? Is my shabby idea really the best way to go? What if something goes wrong?" the blond voiced his worry.

Daniel stared at the boy calculatingly. For all his brains, it was obvious he had self-confidence issues. The foreigner wanted to tell him that everything would be alright, that it was a foolproof plan he'd suggested.

However, he'd already made a false promise once to them. And besides, babying a soldier like him would do the cadet no good in the long run.

"Armin, I ain't gonna lie to you; things can _always_ go wrong. A military operation is never without serious risk. But I assure you, this is a solid plan. It's probably better than anything anyone else here could come up with," the trainer complimented, much to his surprise.

"We've got no other choice, anyway. We're out of time and options. All we can do now is give it our all in this," Marco determinedly said.

"What about Sceptile and Gardevoir? Why can't they just take them all out like they did outside? Then there would be no need to risk our lives," Jean pointed out. Several of the other cadets voiced their agreement to that appealing prospect.

"If you're not willing to put your life on the line, then why did you join the military in the first place?" Daniel scolded. "Fact is, you need to be able to rely on your own strength, and not look for a third party to solve all your problems. That's not what a soldier does."

"Are you serious?! We've risked our asses out there just to make it a-"

"Calm down, man!" the older man interjected sternly. "We'll help you if things get rough. I will go with those in the lift, while Gardevoir and Sceptile will go with those below. If any of the Titans survive the initial attack, Sceptile or Gardevoir will take them out, so stop fretting so much."

Most of the cadets didn't look too happy at his decision but accepted it.

"The lift is ready, and the guns are all loaded!" Jean announced.

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Mikasa, Reiner, Bertolt, Annie, Jean, Sasha, and Connie would be assigned to kill the Titans. Sceptile and Gardevoir also went with them, in case they needed backup.

Daniel walked fearlessly to the lift, which promised a path to the monsters below. They all filed in, lining up against the walls so everyone could fit. He found himself next to Armin, and the freckled boy. Marco, if he remembered correctly.

"Don't you need a rifle?" Marco asked him in confusion.

"Nope. I have a better toy right here," Daniel grinned and pulled out his black pistol. He may have had a team of powerful Pokemon at his side, but even he could see the advantage of a ranged weapon. It had saved his life plenty of times before. Even a Pokemon could be brought down by a few well-placed shots - most of them anyways. "16 rounds; plenty to get the job done."

"16? In that little thing?" the teen stated in disbelief.

"I have better technology at home then you all do here, sue me." He shrugged. That comment got more then a few awed looks sent his way.

"Hey, Daniel. I've been meaning to ask you about that," Armin hurriedly talked, an excited look appearing in his blue eyes. "You're from outside the Walls, aren't you? You must be! I've never seen those creatures with you before. You called them Pokemon, right? How many of those do you have?"

"Focus on the task at hand," Daniel chided. "I'll explain myself later. Right now, we have a job to do." Armin frowned in disappointment but didn't argue. With a pull of a lever, the lift groaned and creaked as it descended downward.

* * *

The supply room was dark, the only lighting coming from torches scattered along the walls. As the lift slowly stopped, Daniel was able to make out the massive shapes of the Titans lurking around. It was a pain in the ass for his eyes to adjust to the dark, considering he was used to artificial lighting.

 _They don't have electricity? Man, this place blows big time,_ he thought in annoyance. The group laid out their loaded firearms over the edges of the lift, watching the nearby monsters intently.

 _"We're in position. Tell us when to go in,"_ Gardevoir spoke to his mind. He mentally voiced his thanks back, taking notice of the trainees on the rafters.

"Follow the plan," Marco reminded with a whisper, beads of nervous sweat on his face.

"Take deep breaths. Just focus on the target," Daniel advised, holding his pistol over the edge. Admittedly, he was nervous too but was used to making himself hold firm.

One of the Titans suddenly stopped, moving its head sideways to give them an unsettling and toothy smile. One trainee freaked at the horrible sight.

"Not yet! Lure them in closer first!" Marco instructed with a shaky voice.

With thumps that echoed throughout the room, the Titans slowly lumbered closer to the lift.

"Steady."

The Titans were a few feet away now.

"Ready."

Another set of footsteps. The monsters were at point blank range.

"Fire!"

Dozens of booming gunshots unloaded into the Titans' faces, obliterating their eyes and sending blood everywhere. From the rafters, the seven chosen trainees ran and jumped off, blades held high as they fell and swung into the necks of the humanoids. The sounds of cutting flesh filled the room, 5 of the giants stumbling before falling down dead.

However, Sasha and Connie failed to cut deep enough, leaving two Titans still alive. The monsters turned towards the ones who had attacked them from behind, their eyes already regenerated.

Sasha whimpered and backed up, eyes wide with terror as the Titan walked towards her. "I'm sorry for suddenly sneaking up and attacking you..." she babbled shakily, the giant scowling and lumbering closer to her.

"Oh shit!" Connie swore, his assigned Titan staring at him like a piece of steak.

"Sasha and Connie missed!" Bertolt shouted out.

"Hurry, help them!" Jean yelled.

"Gardevoir! Sceptile! Do it now!" Daniel yelled out, knowing that they could hear him.

In an instant, Gardevoir appeared behind the panicked Connie to shield him from the Titan. With a burst of psychic power, Gardevoir lifted the Titan into the air and flung it sideways upon the stone floor. One Moonblast later, and the Titan was felled, never to rise again.

Sceptile's Titan, however, leaped at Sasha just as he went to slice its nape. The resulting cut wasn't deep enough to end its life, and he turned mid-air, ready to go for another charge. The girl had thankfully managed to dive to the side right before it fell on her. She lost her swords in the process, though, and could only stare and cry in fear as the monster crawled to her.

Just as the Forest Pokemon landed against a beam and bent his legs for another jump, he was stopped by the sight of a graceful figure touching down on the beast's neck and, with a good swipe of their swords, finishing the job for him. The Titan crumbled to the ground, steam emitting from the open wound.

"Mikasa!" Sasha yelled in relief, moving forward to hug the top-ranked graduate around the waist. "You saved me!"

"Are you hurt?"

"No, thanks to you!"

"Then stand up. We need to get out of here as fast as possible."

"Thanks. I owe you one," a relieved Connie said to Gardevoir. The fairy simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yeah, that was a sweet move, Mikasa," Jean piped up. Mikasa nodded in thanks, and then her gaze switched to Reiner. The muscular man stared at her for a few seconds before nodding, though his expression remained hard to read. No doubt she hadn't yet completely redeem herself in his eyes, but she wasn't expecting any different.

She knew she would have to earn everybody's trust back.

"We got them all! Everyone stock up on supplies!" A trainee called out.

"Hell yeah!" A small cheer went out among the group. Marco gave a deep sigh and nearly fainted.

"Everyone, grab what you need and be ready to move! We are leaving this shit hole in no more than 5 minutes!" Daniel declared. The lift was lowered all the way to the bottom, the trainees exiting quickly and heading for the gas storage tanks.

"We're safe now!"

"No more Titans are coming in!"

"That abnormal Titan and Latias are keeping them away!"

"I never got to thank you for earlier, Jean," Marco commented, causing his friend to raise his head. "You really came through for us, man. Thank you."

The ashen-haired trainee looked surprised at his statement before scowling in disagreement. "Remember all that crap about me being a good leader?" He continued to fill his own canisters. "Don't talk like that anymore."

"I mean no offense by this, but there's something I want to tell you," Marco began. "You're not strong, Jean. That's why you can understand how the weak feel. And you're good at judging the situation correctly. You know what needs to be done, don't you? I'd gladly follow someone like that."

Jean looked at his best friend in surprise, not believing the praise he was heaping on him.

"He's right, you know. Gardevoir told me how you handled things earlier." Daniel walked over to them. "All things considered, you did a good job."

"I didn't do anything, your pets kept us alive. All I could do was watch while people died," the teen lamented.

"Just leading by example and keeping a level head is sometimes enough. Besides, if you didn't want to see people die, Jean, you shouldn't have joined the hell that is military life. You _will_ see _more_ people die. Reality is cruel like that; it makes no exceptions for anyone. I advise you to come to terms with that." Oddly enough, Jean looked somewhat comforted by those blunt words.

"You talk like you've experienced this before," Marco carefully said.

" _That_... is another story," Daniel elusively said. "Either way, just so you know, these guys may count on you to lead them again, Jean. I don't wanna push you into anything, but consider what might happen if someone else was put in the shoes you had no choice but to wear today." He shrugged. "Who knows? This person might handle it well."

The trainer began walking away. "But, then again, he might not."

* * *

A short while later, the cadets were resupplied and in high spirits. They were gathered near the side door of HQ, with Daniel looking them over. Alongside him were Gardevoir and Sceptile, the two loyal Pokemon standing with him.

"Time to bail on this shit-hole," Daniel said, and without hesitating, he lifted his foot up and kicked the doors open. "Get your asses over the wall! We meet on the other side!"

The soldiers didn't need any more encouragement, running out of the building and taking off into the air in delight. Their 3DMG gear carried them up and over the buildings, and soon they scaled up the massive structure. Daniel allowed himself a brief smile, feeling much happier at seeing so many survive and escape.

 _"We did good,"_ Gardevoir declared, which her master could wholeheartedly agree with. Turning around, he took notice of several cadets that were still here. Armin and Mikasa were no surprise, but Jean, Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie were there as well.

"Daniel, I'm calling in your word. Let's go get Eren back, now," the black-haired girl demanded. Daniel nodded in understanding, pulling out the Eon Flute out from his jacket pocket.

"Eren? Wasn't he killed earlier?" Annie asked with a hint of confusion in her usually bland expression.

"Oh, right. Yeah, Eren is that buff Titan outside," Daniel said casually. His statement caused those not in the know to go wide-eyed in astonishment.

"You're saying that... Eren was that Titan this whole time?" Jean gaped like a fish.

"Before you start yelling at me about how it's impossible and shit, Latias read his mind and proved it." He moved the Eon Flute up to his lips, playing a few notes to call Latias back. A few seconds later, she had flown down to them, a chipper smile on her mouth.

 _"Daniel! Hey, Daniel! Did you know if I concentrate on a Titan hard enough, I can make its head_ explode _? Because I do, and it's fun, kinda like bubble wrap,"_ Latias dramatically and cheerily declared. The cadets backed off and eyed the Eon Dragon nervously, not wanting to risk the same fate she described befalling them.

"Glad _someone_ is having the time of their life," her trainer murmured, which Latias heard and, having taken the answer seriously, nodded vigorously in response.

"What about Eren? He's okay, right?" Mikasa urgently asked. The Eon dragon nodded at the question, much to her visible relief.

 _"Eren is fine, but he's running on fumes, it won't be long until he passes out. Like a wild animal, he is,"_ Latias replied. _"Charizard and Aggron are still with him. And I swear, those boneheads are competing for the highest Titan kill count. It must be male pride driving them,"_ she snorted.

"Lucky for us," Jean sighed tiredly. The ashen teen rubbed his head in confusion, still coming to terms with all the traumatic and insane things he had witnessed in the past hour. "I just want this day to be over."

"The sun always sets, so you'll get your wish soon enough," Daniel idly commented.

"Heh, I guess that's true," Jean agreed. "But, is that Titan really Eren? You're not fucking with us, right?"

"Yes, that Titan is Eren," the trainer confirmed. "I not cruel enough to joke about something like that."

"Yeah, but that's rather hard to believe," Bertolt quietly spoke up.

"I understand that it sounds crazy, but it's the truth," Armin insisted.

 _"_ _Trust me, it is Eren. I looked into his mind, and I'm always right,"_ Latias lazily twirled and floated above them without a care.

"You can... look into people's heads?" Annie carefully asked Latias, a hint of fear showing in her icy eyes.

 _"Why yes, short one! But don't worry, I respect people's privacy,"_ Latias assured. _"If I did look, you would feel it."_ Annie glared angrily at Latias for commenting on her short stature, but accepted the answer.

 _"That goes for me as well. Unless I have a good reason, I will not pry into your heads,"_ Gardevoir promised.

"Well, that's a relief. I like my thoughts to be private," Jean commented.

"Cut the small talk, we can't stay here for long," Daniel reminded. "Latias, call up Eren and the team. Mission accomplished, time to bail out."

 _"You got it, boss,"_ the Eon dragon playfully agreed. Raising her head dramatically, Latias began to glow blue again. _"Come, my adorable minions! Your queen demands it!"_ She sang aloud. A few seconds passed, and they were joined by the rest of the Pokemon.

Charizard swooped overhead, casting a shadow below as he landed upon a nearby building. He snorted a small puff of flame at the Cadets below, looking away in indifference. It was clear the flame draconian had no interest in socializing with those he considered beneath him. He gave a simple nod to Daniel, dutifully watching their surroundings for danger.

Aggron crawled around the HQ corner next, his massive and heavy body crushing the brick pathway below. Evaporating Titan blood covered his iron hide, the metal and rock type looking no worse for wear. Armin and Bertolt nervously backed away from the metal behemoth, looking at Aggron with held breath. While Jean and Mikasa could only stare in worry, knowing that their blades would be useless should Aggron prove aggressive.

"Damn, he's bigger up close," Reiner let out a low whistle.

"Aggron is the muscle of my team; big and strong, tough and hard. His armor is nearly unbreakable," Daniel stated with conviction. The large Pokemon grunted approval at that statement. He looked over the cadets in curiosity, slowly inching closer too look them over. The Iron Skin Pokemon began sniffing curiously at the nearby Annie, who backed up and looked at the massive steel fangs near her face. After a few seconds, Aggron grunted something out at the blond girl.

"What the fuck is he doing?" Annie hissed at Daniel, defiantly staring at the metallic blue eyes of Aggron.

"He says that you smell like filth, take a bath," Daniel translated with a chuckle. Annie shot an offended glare at Aggron, who simple huffed in her face and walked over to Daniel and the others. Sceptile held out a fist bump for the Iron Skin Pokemon, who grunted and lightly tapped it with his massive paw. Gardevoir and Aggron shared a bitter glace for a moment, before indifferently looking away from each other. Daniel inwardly sighed at their cold behavior to each other, but at least they weren't tearing each other apart. He would have to find a way to reconcile them later.

Froslass flew over the group, coming down to greet Daniel. She cooed in delight as Daniel fondly touched her head crystals, the sheer cold from her body not bothering him. Looking over his battered team, he mentally made a decision as he reached into his side bag. It would be best to pull some of them out of action for now, to give them a chance to recover.

"Sceptile, Aggron, Gardevoir, and Froslass; thank you so much for what you've done today. Many were spared, thanks to your efforts. I know you're all tired, so take a rest for now," Daniel commanded. He activated the capsules on his monster allies, their bodies changing into a red light before returning into his hand. All the while the cadets watched the Pokeballs with fascination and confusion, having never experienced such advanced technology before.

"Your Pokemon can fit into those tiny things?" Armin asked in disbelief.

"That's what Pokemon stands for: Pocket Monster," Daniel explained with a smirk, to which the groups collective mouths widened at that realization. Daniel then turned toward his other heavy hitters. "Charizard and Latias, stay out for now. I need you both to fly us up the wall. And keep an eye out for those Titans." The two Pokemon voiced their agreement, keeping their vigil over the area.

 _"That won't be an issue, Danny. We took out most of those Titans, so we should be safe for a while. Oh look! Here comes the big guy,"_ Latias announced. With a few heavy footsteps upon the brick walkways, Titan Eren slowly rounded the corner. His massive form was missing an arm, his body steaming as numerous wounds struggled to heal. His glowing green eyes looked over the cadet's and Pokemon in curiosity, a hint of recognition at their tiny forms. He let out a confused groan, still remaining in a dreamlike trance.

"Don't worry, Eren! We'll get you out of there, just hold on!" Mikasa swore.

"Now that you mention it, that Titan does kind of resemble Eren," Reiner rubbed his chin in thought. "Which is pretty ironic, considering how much he hates them."

"Heh, I bet the suicidal bastard won't be happy about that once he wakes up," Jean let out a low chuckle.

"Latias, you said that Eren's body is somewhere in that Titan's nape, right? How do we turn him back to normal?" Armin urged.

 _"Not to worry, I have an idea,"_ Latias assured. _"But it ain't gonna be pretty._

"What do you mean by that? You're not going to hurt him, are you?" Mikasa demanded, looking at the Eon Dragon with gritted teeth.

 _"It's like removing an old band aid; you gotta just grit your teeth and rip it off,"_ Latias explained, her red body covered in a blue hue again. _"By that metaphor, I mean I'm going to rip Eren's body out by force. Get back, kids."_ Not a moment later, the back of Eren's Titan blew open, splattering steam and searing blood outwards. The Titan stumbled for a moment and fell forward, Latias gently lowering him down with her Psychic power. The now lifeless Titan laid on the ground, a male figure barely visible through the thick steam it expelled.

"Eren!" Mikasa cried out, Not hesitating to run forward to reach him. She climbed up the fallen Titan's hair with stunning agility, moving towards the nape to grab the teen sticking out. She placed her head near his chest, carefully listening for reassurance that he was truly alive.

"He's alive," Mikasa choked out, tear's streaming down her face. Not able to hold her emotion in any longer, Mikasa began to sob in relief as she held Eren close. Her cries echoing across Trost. The others soon gathered up around the decaying Titan, helping her bring the unconscious teen down. The cadets gathered around their friend, varying expressions on their face as they looked him over.

"His arm and leg grew back, just like a Titan's," Armin whispered in astonishment. He grasped Eren's newly grown hand, staring at it in wonder. "Eren, what happened to you? How did you become this way?" Tears streamed down the blond's face, the relief at his friend's survival clear to see.

 _"This is so beautiful to witness, isn't it? This day might have a good ending after all,"_ Latias spoke to Daniel.

 _I hope so, Latias. I don't know what the deal is with these Titans, but Eren must answers about them. We should keep an eye on him, just in case."_ Daniel replied, to which she agreed. _"One thing is for sure, things are going to interesting in this world. This is only the beginning, I can feel it."_


	5. Chapter 5

My apologies for taking so long on this one, I've been a very busy boy. Here is a nice little interlude chapter, I do hope that you enjoy it.

* * *

The skies above Trost slowly began to clear from the earlier rainfall, allowing scattered sunlight to shine down upon the desolated district. Countless dismembered soldiers laid upon the blood soaked city streets, a testament to the brutality and horror of the Titan onslaught. If it was any consolation to the fallen, the Titans who had devoured them were also slain, thanks to the efforts of Daniel's Pokemon, and one Titan Eren Yeager. The stranger and the Titan soldier had given hope to the surviving cadets who had retreated beyond the safety of Wall Rose. Hope that they could stop the hellish giants outside the Wall, and live to see another day.

And yet despite their combined efforts, even more Titans poured through the demolished gate, the mindless man-eaters slowly replenishing their lost forces. Sensing no surviving humans within Trost the monsters now walked towards the still standing inner gate, eager to feast upon the hapless morsels beyond Wall Rose. They began to scratch at the hardened barrier in vain, letting out groans as they tried to break through. All the while the surviving humans could only wait behind in tense fear, silently praying that the monsters would not find a way through.

Now upon wall Rose, Daniel looked down at the demolished district with a frown. Unless they found a way to seal the outer gate, and kill the Titans within, then Trost was a lost cause. The inner gate was still secure, but who knew how long that would last? His Pokemon could probably combine their respective abilities to seal the shattered outer gate, but they were too tired for that to be a viable option at the moment.

But right now, Daniel needed to decide what step to take next. Beyond the safety of Wall Rose were the humans who lived under the fear of the Titans. No doubt the Cadets that made it over were now spreading the word about his existence, and of the incredible power that his Pokemon held. His next actions would be crucial to securing an friendly relationship with them. In an unknown land, so impossibly far from home, it was to his best interest to have allies over enemies. Considering that he helped save a bunch of green Cadets from certain death, and that his Pokemon killed a massive amount of Titans, he was confident the military here would hear him out.

Though Daniel would have his work cut out for him, if the Garrison sentries stationed far down the wall were any indication. They had seen Latias drop him off here, and had no doubt seen his Pokemon in action earlier. They were clearly scared of him, and of all the unknowns his presence brought. The soldiers refused to approach him, even with a friendly wave on his part. Rather they frantically spoke to each other in hushed voices, fearfully glancing at the stranger they did not understand. Their terror was understandable, considering that they had never seen anything like his monster friends. But hopefully, the 104th cadets would help convince them of his good intentions.

With a rush of wind, Latias and Charizard appeared near Daniel. That landed near their trusted trainer, allowing the relieved passengers to climb off. The Cadets walked over to Daniel, thankful that they were finally out of the hell that desolated Trost. Their reactions varied, but their attention was focused on Daniel and his Pokemon, along with an unconscious Eren Yeager, who was currently being cared for by Mikasa. It amused Daniel how Mikasa carried the Titan boy over her back without any strain, like he weighted no more then a feather. The amount of strength in her slender body was ridiculous.

 _"Attention, passengers. We have arrived to our destination. Thank you for flying Airline Latias,"_ the Eon Dragon joked. She floated above them without a care, looking beyond Wall Rose in idle curiosity. One could only imagine what the Eon Dragon saw, her senses far beyond a normal humans.

"That was actually kind of fun," Annie quietly admitted, carefully fixing the bun in her blond hair. The soldier girl warily looked at Daniel and Latias, keeping her true thoughts hidden.

"Speak for yourself," Reiner groaned, clenching his upset stomach with a wince. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Heh. I take it you've never flown before?" Daniel smirked. "Don't worry, you get used to it. Flying is quite fun."

"I highly doubt that," the blond soldier grunted, kneeling over as he tried to force his nausea back. Bertolt gave Reiner a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, the lanky teen remaining silent as he observed the others.

"At least we're still alive," Jean sighed in relief, the ashen-haired teen noticeably less stressed out with Trost behind them. "For now, at least," he added as an afterthought.

 _"Yes, but it's not over yet. Those Titans are still coming through the outer gate,"_ Latias reminded, the Eon Dragon taking a serious tone for once.

"And unless we seal that hole, nothing will change," Daniel finished for her. "But for now, we have some breathing room to recover and plan with." Daniel pulled another Pokeball out of his side bag and pointed it at Charizard, the flame draconian silent as he stood guard upon the wall. "I'll need your strength in a while, Charizard. But first get some rest, big guy. You've earned it."

Charizard grunted in acknowledgement before his body changed into a mesmerizing red light, sucked into the depths of the strange sphere in Daniel's hand. He returned his trusted flame friend into the safety of his pocket, deciding just to keep Latias out for now. Even after all that fighting, the Eon Dragon would no doubt be able to keep going, thanks to her immense stamina and power level.

"Daniel, listen. We still need your help," Armin said with grave urgency, getting the trainers attention. "I know you've done so much for us, but we're still in danger. The Armored Titan could show up at any moment."

"Armored Titan?" Daniel blinked in confusion. "Are you saying that there are stronger types of Titans?"

"Yes. It's just like 5 years ago, when Wall Maria was breached by the Titans," Armin began his explanation to the stranger. "The Colossal Titan destroyed the outer gate first to let the Titans in, and then the Armored Titan appeared and smashed through the inner gate. If we don't..."

"Wait, time out," Daniel interrupted with a raised hand. "Are you saying that you all have more then one wall here?" He tapped his combat boot on Wall Rose for emphasis.

"Yes, we have three: Maria, Rose, and Sina. I though you knew that already," Armin frowned.

"No... I didn't. I've only seen Wall Rose," Daniel stated in astonishment, wondering how that could be possible. This massive wall they stood on was already a wonder of engineering beyond anything he had seen. And based on his flying with Latias earlier today, this wall surrounded an impossible amount of land as well. How did these people make something so large and magnificent, let alone three, when their technology was clearly inferior to that of his own world? Not to mention the staggering amount of resources and manpower that would have been required to build them. That alone was worth looking into later.

"That's something I want to know as well," Annie spoke up, eyeing Daniel with a hint of curiosity in her lonly eyes. "If you flew here on Latias, then you should have seen Wall Maria as well."

"Not at all," Daniel shook his head, much to her surprise. "This will sound strange, but I've never been to this world before. I know nothing about this land, and I've never heard of these 'Titans' before."

 _"Yeah! We only arrived to this world yesterday,"_ Latias added in.

"This world? What do you mean by that?" Armin asked, excitement shining through his blue eyes. The other cadets stared at the stranger and his dragon in stunned silence, waiting intently for what they would say next.

"I was not born to this world, nor my Pokemon. You've never seen creatures like them before, correct? That's because we do not belong here." Daniel patiently explained. "To make a long story short, we fell from the sky, and landed outside of Wall Rose yesterday."

"You fell from the sky? How is that even possible?" Mikasa spoke up, confused as the rest of the cadets.

"Well, are you all familiar with the concept of different dimensions? Or what a portal is?" More blank stares and head scratching meet his question, to which Daniel inwardly sighed at. Clearly he needed to simplify the concept in a way they could easily understand.

"Think of all the stars in the night sky, and how vast the void above us is," Daniel stretched his hand upwards in emphasis, pointing beyond the cloud-choked sky of Trost. "Within the depths of the sky are other worlds like this one, so impossible far away. Somewhere, out there, is where Latias and I come from." Gasps of realization came from the cadets, the staggering implications of what the stranger said giving them awe.

"No way... there are other worlds out there? Other places with humans?" Jean stammered.

 _"Yep!_ _All kinds of amazing things are out there! You cannot imagine how different our world is compared to here,"_ Latias exclaimed with a chipper smile. The cadets could only stare at the Eon dragon in wonder, their minds working overtime to vainly try to grasp what she was claiming.

"One of those stars in the night sky is the sun to my world, but who knows which one it is?" Daniel gave a resigned sigh as he stared into the clouds, as if hoping he could see his home beyond them. "Believe me, we had no intention of coming here. Our meeting with you all was by fate alone. Or the act of a God, you could say."

"What do you mean by that?" Reiner walked forward, the buff teen giving Daniel a hard look. "Let's say that we believe your claim; how did you get here then?"

"Look, I understand that you all want answers, but now is not the time. We still have those Titans to deal with, remember?" Daniel impatiently reminded. The trainer idly pointed to the ruined district below the wall, where the horrific man-eaters could be seen in the distance.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Reiner reluctantly agreed. His face took a serious look again. "But, I need to know something first, Daniel. What's your goal in all this? You owe us nothing, so why did you help us escape?"

The trainer closed his eyes in silence for a few seconds, thinking deeply before giving his answer.

"Because it was the right thing to do," Daniel shrugged. "And also out of a sense of duty. I would have felt like shit if I left you all to die."

"So you only helped us to avoid feeling guilt? Is that what you're saying?" Annie challenged.

"Not necessarily, blondie. It was for my own benefit as well," Daniel smirked at the short soldier. "Saving you all has put me in a good negotiating position with your government."

"What do you mean by that?" Annie demanded. "How does this benefit you?"

"My Pokemon killed countless Titans and helped you all escape. No doubt that the other cadets are spreading the word as we speak. I imagine that alone would put us in a good light with the people here, yes?" Daniel chuckled. "It was the perfect display of power from us. And if we help take back Trost from the Titans, I imagine that would later allow us to easily obtain resources and help as compensation. Hell, I might even get a medal, you never know."

"Huh. I guess you're just as selfish as anyone else. I misjudged you, Daniel," Annie stated in surprise.

"What? You thought I was the valiant hero type? The one who selflessly sacrifices himself for the good of others and gives everything to save the day?" Daniel grinned in faint amusement. "Not even close. I'm just a soldier and champion, who has powerful monster friends. They are far more valuable then I."

"You talk like that's normal from where you come from," Bertolt observed.

"Humans taming and befriending monsters? Yeah, where I come from it's normal. I'm not special in that regard," Daniel admitted, much to their astonishment.

"So you're saying that in your world, mankind befriends those Pokemon?" Armin gasped in wonder. "Incredible. If we had those here, the Titans wouldn't stand a chance!"

"I can agree with that, Armin. And don't worry about that 'Armored Titan', Latias can easily deal with him if he shows," Daniel assured. "Isn't that right girl?"

 _"Oh please, as if those weaklings even stand a chance against me,"_ Latias rolled her amber eyes in mirth. _"Fear not, my little mortals! I shall protect you and your precious wall."_ The Eon dragon made the 'okay' sign with her claws.

"Latias... thank you. You're so strong and amazing. How did you meet her, Daniel?" Armin asked with awe, with Latias beaming at the praise.

"I'd be happy to tell you later. But right now the sun is still out, and we have a job to do," Daniel reminded. "You all know this area better then me, so where should we go next?" The stranger turned to the cadet group for answers.

"Well, there's a lift over there. We can take that down to the bottom, and regroup with the Military," Jean pointed out a large lift attached to the inner side of Wall Rose.

"That works. But those soldiers look a bit afraid of me and Latias. I wonder why?" The sarcasm in Daniel's voice was obvious to anyone. Indeed, the terrified Garrison soldiers stationed on Wall Rose were still shooting fearful glances at Daniel and Latias. Honestly, with how scared they looked, Daniel was surprised they hadn't pissed themselves yet.

"Maybe because you have monsters in your pocket? Did you ever consider that?" Mikasa dryly asked, shifting Eren on her back.

"Oh yeah! That's probably a contributing factor," Daniel chuckled. "Let's go over and say hello, shall we?" The stranger turned and began walking down Wall Rose, with Latias floating beside him. Left with little choice, the cadets followed behind the man and dragon duo, countless questions on their minds.

Barely a few minutes of casual walking, and the group had arrived to the lift.

"Why, hello there! Beautiful weather outside today, isn't it?" Daniel cheerfully spoke to the stiff Garrison soldiers, as if he didn't notice their stress or paranoia. "We need a ride to the bottom, care to give us a hand?"

"W-why should we do that?" One of the soldiers trembled, his eyes nervously glancing at the floating Latias. The Eon Dragon simply stared at them with a wide and creepy smile, her glistening teeth doing little to calm their nerves.

"Because my monster friends are the ones who killed countless Titans, and helped the 104th cadets escape from Trost," Daniel's lighthearted tone changed at once, becoming hard as steel. "We are on your side, that is all the reason you need. Now, let us pass."

"N-no! We can't let monsters into Wall Rose! Not that flying thing, or that Titan freak!" One of the braver soldiers barked back, a nervous sweat on his face. Mikasa gave a death glare towards him for insulting Eren, tightening her hold on the sleeping teen. The other cadets stood back in tense silence, unsure of what to do. Daniel and Latias stared back defiantly, not a hint of fear or discomfort on their faces.

 _"You do realize that I can understand human speech, right?"_ Latias commented, glaring at the soldier who insulted her.

"It talks?" A female Garrison soldier gasped in fear. Not even a split second later Latias had closed the distance, the soldiers recoiling at how uncomfortably close she was.

 _"My name is Latias, use it,"_ the Eon Dragon huffed in annoyance, her eyes narrowed in displeasure. _"Stop whining and move aside, we have no time for games."_

"I would listen to Latias, if I were you. She's scary when she gets mad," Daniel added in, inwardly resisting the urge to laugh like a maniac at their terrified faces.

"No! We can't let them pass! We have a duty to protect Wall Rose!" The same brave soldier argued back. Based on what he could seen, Daniel assumed that this soldier was the leader of this squad. His sense of duty was admirable, but misplaced in this situation.

"It's true, they're on our side! They saved us from the Titans, something that you all failed to do!" Jean shouted.

"They protected us and killed the Titans! Countless people witnessed it, so there's no denying it!" Armin nervously spoke up.

"They fought the Titans, while you cowards stood on the wall!" Mikasa shouted back.

 _"And we are on your side!"_ Latias proclaimed aloud, her mental voice resonating with them all. Her feathered body took a blue glow, a sign of her using her incredible psychic powers, linking her mind to theirs for a moment. _"If you care about the future of humanity, you will let us pass."_ The firm tone of her voice made it clear that the Eon Dragon wouldn't accept no for an answer.

"But, the Titan boy-" The female soldier fearfully said.

"His name is Eren Yeager, and he is under my protection," Daniel interrupted, much to their surprise. "If you want to save Trost, and protect your friends and families from the Titans, you will let us help you. We are on the same side," Daniel finished. He had said his piece, now all he could do was wait for the outcome.

After what felt like an eternity of tense silence, the decision was made.

"I guess we have no choice," the Garrison Squad Leader conceded with a sigh. "Let them down."

"W-what? But sir!" The female soldier protested.

"If you want to stop them, be my guest," the Squad Leader offered. "You saw what that... Latias could do. We can't stop something that powerful." With no more arguments from the Garrison soldiers, it was clear that they had won.

 _"Thank you for your cooperation, you won't regret it,"_ Latias promised. She swiftly floated above them and landed on the lift, waiting patiently for the others to follow behind.

"I look forward to working with you all," Daniel simply said. He walked passed the hesitant soldiers, not looking back once. The other Cadets followed behind, and gathered around Latias. With a pull of a lever, the lift began to slowly lower them down Wall Rose, which promised safety from the hell outside.

"Well, that went rather well," Reiner breathed a sigh of relief.

"All according to plan. Now, who's currently in charge of the Military here?" Daniel asked. "We need to work quick if we have any hope of taking back Trost."

"Captain Verman is our superior officer for the defence of Trost, but I can't promise that he will listen to you," Armin hesitantly explained. "He's not the reasonable and understanding type."

"Oh don't worry, Armin. I can handle it," Daniel confidently replied. "Hopefully, things will go smoothly from here on out."

"So you're the optimistic guy now, huh Daniel?" Jean dryly asked.

"Hey, positive thinking does marvels for moral. Try it some time." He joked. Daniel then turned to Mikasa, the raven haired teen still carrying her friend. "How's Eren doing?"

"He's fine, but still sleeping," Mikasa looked toward the brunette teen on her back. "

"Becoming a Titan must strain the body, but he should be okay." Daniel commented. "Though I wonder how be became like this, and if there are other's like him."

"Yeah, you're not the only one," Mikasa agreed.

"Wait, there are soldiers gathering below us," Annie interrupted, her blue eyes showing alarm.

"Yeah, and they don't look friendly," Reiner nervously said, looking at the ground below.

"They must have seen Daniel's Pokemon fighting earlier, and Eren exit his Titan," Armin realized fearfully. "Oh no, this is bad!"

 _"Don't be afraid, I'm here with you all,"_ Latias soothed. _"I won't let them hurt you, I promise."_

"We'll just have to face them and see what they want," Daniel decided.

After a minute of tense waiting, the lift finally reached ground level, hitting the dirt below with a shudder. The ragtag group observed the surrounding area with worry and panic, their senses on high alert.

What waited for them was indeed an unwelcome surprise. It was an entire brigade of Garrison troops, all holding blades or rifles, which were trained at the lift and it's occupants. The soldiers stared at Latias, Daniel, and Eren in terror, their clammy hands tightly gripping their weapons for dear life. But they also had weapons trained on the other 104th cadets with them, clearly not interested in letting them walk free.

"ALL OF YOU! PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR AND STAY PUT! ANY WHO STEP OFF THAT LIFT WILL BE SHOT!" The captain roared, distrust clear in his panicked eyes.

Daniel could only blink as he took in the countless rifles honed on them, the numerous opposition they faced clear to see.

 _Well, fuck. This wasn't in the plan._


End file.
